


Singularity

by CastorLycan



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, Artificial Intelligence, Betrayal, Family, Loyalty, Science Fiction, Space Flight, Space Opera, Spanking, Treachery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-09-18
Packaged: 2019-10-17 19:31:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 69,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17566613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CastorLycan/pseuds/CastorLycan
Summary: Space opera!After a 400+ year journey across space, suspended in cryogenic sleep, a teenager on a colony spaceship is awakened. Instead of finding his family and his fellow colonists, he realizes he doesn't recognize anyone...Meanwhile, a young space captain - to all appearances somewhat spoiled and thoughtless - is balancing obligations and loyalties that those around him can only begin to guess at.This story follows what happens when their worlds collide!





	1. Awakening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **New Horizon Colony Ship** | **The Defiant**  
> ---|---  
> Jack Corwin | **The Cadre:** | **The Crew:**  
> |     | Captain Castor Lycan 25  |     | Master Engineer Cy Concannon  
>   |   | Kyle Tabor 26 - pilot  |   | Dr. Seka Corea  
> |   | Fendi Jayadi 19  |   |    
  
**Prologue**

In the dark night of space, unseen by all but the eyes of God, an ancient spaceship drifted silently across the expanse, spinning end-over-end at an angle at odds with its orientation. One side was damaged, with metal carnage spilling out and trailing after it. After centuries of silence, a radio signal was emitted from the ship, repeating itself in an endless loop, in persistent hope. The signal continued for days, and weeks, and months, until one day it was heard.  


**Jack Corwin – present day**

The sounds began at the edge of my consciousness. Drifting in and out of awareness, at first I didn't even recognize them as voices. When my mind finally made that realization I struggled to open my eyes, but my eyelids were too heavy. Just breathing was an effort, much less opening my eyes. My chest felt cold and heavy, as if buried under a dozen wool blankets that had been stored out in a damp garage overnight. I concentrated on breathing, drawing in one ragged breath after another until I lost consciousness again.

When I next woke I was relieved to find that I no longer had to struggle to breathe. The voices were louder now, and I lay quietly until the sounds of the voices separated and became words. Three voices, two male and one female. Speaking low and softly. It sounded like English, but different somehow. The words were quick and light and in an accent I couldn’t quite place. Suddenly feeling vulnerable and afraid, I struggled to open my eyes.

Three faces peered down at me inside my metal coffin. Coffin? Did I die? What was going on? I looked beyond the three, saw the darkened room, and at once it all came back to me: _New Horizon_ , saying goodbye to my brother and sister and our fellow colonists, and climbing into the cryo chamber. My little sister had gone into her chamber first as my older brother Tom and I looked on, her trusting brown eyes gazing at each of us. Then it was my turn. As the tech hooked me up and closed the chamber’s lid, the last thing I saw was Tom’s reassuring smile. When was that, yesterday? And who were these people? I didn’t recognize their black uniforms. They weren't the United Nations uniforms we were given.

Both men were in their mid-twenties, the woman a few years older. They had stopped talking when I opened my eyes, and were all peering at me intently. The man in the center had golden-blonde hair, and even at first glance I noticed his aristocratic bearing. He smiled gently, leaned forward, and said, "Hello, Jack Corwin. I'm Captain Castor Lycan, this is Dr. Seka and my cadremate Kyle Tabor. Welcome back." The man spoke in easy tones, slower than before, for which I was grateful. Even so, I had to pay to close attention to catch every word.

Cadremate? I opened my mouth to speak, and the doctor stepped forward with a small bag with a tube attached. She gently lifted my head and placed the end of the tube in my mouth like a straw. I swallowed three mouthfuls of what tasted like apple juice before turning my head away and closing my eyes again.

"Let's let him sleep," the captain said quietly to the others, then all was silent again.

**..»º*º«..**

Sometime later I woke again, feeling less tired. The blonde man was gone, but the other two were still hanging around.

"How are you feeling?" the woman asked, smiling at me.

"Better," I said. "Dr....?" I couldn't remember her name.

"Dr. Seka Corea, and this is Kyle Tabor. Would you like to get out of there?"

"Yes, ma'am," I said, suddenly anxious to leave the cryogenic chamber. I sat up and grasped the side of my metal chamber, feeling lightheaded.

"Slowly," she ordered. "Kyle, help him, please."

Kyle helped me out of the chamber and over to a chair. I didn’t remember this room having any chairs. It was one of three rooms which held 60 cryogenic chambers, holding the hopes of mankind to colonize a world other than Earth. My lips twitched upwards at that thought – me, the hope of mankind? No, that was my brother, and the other scientists and military types. My sister and I were mostly along for the ride. Not that we weren’t prepared to do our duty in helping create a new world. We were, but it was Tom’s dream and hard work that got us on the ship. My musings and look around at the other closed chambers were interrupted by Dr. Seka’s voice.

"What would you like first, a shower or a meal?"

Suddenly I felt totally gross and wanted to shower more than anything. And I was starving. I wanted to eat more than anything. "Can I eat while I shower?"

She laughed and brushed her long dark hair out of her face. "Shower first. It will warm you up and you'll feel better."

Dr. Seka and Kyle helped me into the utilitarian shower room near the cryogenic room. _New Horizon_ was designed to be lived in for months before we descended to the surface of Toren and had basic equipment. Dr. Seka left me to my privacy.

Kyle brought a chair in for me, and gave me a doubtful look. "Can you manage?" he asked.

"If I can get this off," I replied, gesturing with my arms, my limbs still exhausted. Whoever had thought to put us in jumpsuits for cryogenic sleep was surely an idiot.

"Let me help," he said.

Kyle soon had the disgusting thing off me. Funny how stiff and dirty it felt. By now I had realized it wasn’t merely yesterday that we had launched, but I was pushing all thoughts away, focusing on my body’s immediate needs to stamp down a rising feeling of panic.

After turning the hot water on, he handed me a bar of soap and said, "I'll be outside. Call if you need assistance. Don't fall asleep," he added with a grin.

"Thanks," I said. I sat under the hot water for several minutes, letting the water run through my hair and over my body, warming me. I had been so cold since waking up.

"Are you all right in there?" Kyle called from the changing area.

"Yes... it just feels amazing." I finally put the soap to use. I longed to stay under the hot water forever, and only the thought of eating made me finally reach out and turn off the shower.

Kyle tossed a towel at me, and brought in clothes when I was dried off. "Hope you don't mind," he said. "It was too difficult to identify your own clothes, so I brought some from our ship."

"Your ship?" I asked idly, putting on the black underwear he handed me first, telling my panic to go away.

He looked like he said something he shouldn't have. "Yes... the captain will want to fill you in. Once you've eaten I think he'll want to talk to you again."

"Okay," I said. The clothes were soft and the material seemed strong. Black pants, a white shirt with ruffled cuffs and a ruffled collar that stood up. Ruffles? The panic, barely held at bay, now acquired an edge of hilarity.

Kyle stopped me before I could put on the black jacket. "Cravat first," he said, handing me a length of light blue material.

I held it up, trying to figure it out. It looked like a scarf.

"May I?" he asked.

"Please," I replied. He took it back from me and soon had it wrapped around my neck several times and tied in a bow in the front. If he weren't wearing the same thing in black, I would have thought he was having me on. I'd never worn a cravat before. A cravat? Really? I put the jacket on and stepped into the black leather boots he gave me. I felt dashing, like an Edwardian gentleman. Edwardian. Victorian? I wasn’t up on my historical costumes. Pirate, maybe. I felt slightly silly, but happy to be done with that coverall.

Kyle eyed me, then stepped forward to adjust the collar and cravat. He stepped back to appraise me, then reached out and lifted my right arm, pulling the edge of my sleeve down so the edge of the ruffle showed beyond the edge of the jacket. He repeated the action with my left sleeve, then nodded. "That will do. Ready to eat? I think food has been brought over." Kyle and I went to the small galley, one of several on board, and sat down.

Dr. Seka was ready with soup. "Best to ease back into eating," she said.

I tucked in, giving only a momentary thought to hoping I didn't spill on these fine clothes, then realizing I was too hungry to care. They watched me in amusement. I wanted a second bowl, but the doctor said no, not yet, I had to take it slowly.

"Ready to meet with Captain Lycan?" Kyle asked.

"Yes," I said. Now that I was feeling human and alive again, I wanted some answers about... everything. And where was Tom? Where was anyone, really? The ship was awfully quiet with just this handful of strangers and myself. I stamped down the panic again.

Kyle looked away for a few seconds, then back at me. "The captain will meet us on the bridge. You know the way?"

"Yes," I said, hoping I remembered. I'd only been there once, on our initial tour of the ship. I led the way. The bridge had a small conference table at the back, and we sat down to wait.

A few minutes later the hatch opened and three men entered. Dr. Seka and Kyle stood when they entered, so I did too. The captain waved us all down again and took the seat at the end of the table. He seemed surprised to see me in clothing like their own, and glanced at Kyle who gave the barest of shrugs. All of the men wore similar clothing except for the color of the neckwear. The Captain's was black and gold. He put his hands on the table, lacing his fingers, and I noticed that his shirt cuffs (the ruffles artfully appearing at the end of his jacket sleeves) were edged in gold thread too.

I looked back and forth among the five of them. The oldest was in his mid-30s, tall and muscular. His dark eyes were kind, but he seemed serious and not the sort to mess with. He sat next to the captain. Next to him was another man who looked not much older than me. He was also fit, and had a ready smile. I started getting apprehensive with all of their eyes on me, and the questions were swirling up in my mind. The captain smiled at me suddenly, and I noticed I had begun playing with the cuffs of my shirt. I stopped, and held on to the arms of my chair.

"Lieutenant Corwin," the captain said. "It's good to see you up and about. How are you feeling? Are you experiencing any effects from the cryo sleep?"

"I'm okay. A bit tired is all. And cold. The shower was great." I gave a weak smile, unsettled by the sight of people in unknown uniforms making themselves at home on the bridge. Where was my own crew?

"Good. I'm sure you'll feel better soon," he said. "Allow me to introduce a few more of my crew members." Gesturing to the older man next to him he said, "This is my bodyguard, Master Engineer Cy Concannon. And Fendi Jayadi, security. You already know my First Mate, Kyle Tabor, and Dr. Seka."

I nodded at each of them as they were introduced.

"Now, Lieutenant Corwin, who speaks for you?"

What? Who speaks for me? "What? I speak for myself. What do you mean?"

"How old are you?" the engineer asked gently. I'd already forgotten his name.

"Eighteen," I replied. "Does that matter?"

The captain and engineer exchanged glances. Evidently it did matter, but they didn't explain. "Who's in charge on _New Horizon_?" the captain asked.

This I knew. "Captain Monteiro is the captain and in charge of the military," I said. "Dr. Chaddell is in charge of the scientists...there are about 40 engineers and scientists. Do you want to know them all?" I asked, hoping he didn't. My mind felt fuzzy and I was tiring again.

"No. Not now. We've examined the log. _New Horizon_ is a United Nations Air Force vessel?"

"United Nations Space Corp," I corrected.

"I see. When did _New Horizon_ leave Earth? You did set sail from Earth?"

"We left May 27th." They all looked quizzical. "In 2037. What year is it now?"

They ignored my question, the captain asking instead, "What was your destination?"

"Toren, a planet 482 light-years from Earth. Wh-where are we?" I asked, faltering.

Captain Lycan took a moment to answer, and when he did, his voice was steady and calm, as if willing me to be calm too. "We are about 2 light-years from Toren. Or, Montauk, as we named it. The year is 2432."

"I was supposed to sleep for another nine years," I said slowly, splaying my hands on the black tabletop. They all remained silent, just watching me. I started to tremble. "But who are you? Where'd you all come from?"

"We're from _The Defiant_ , a ship of the Guard. From Montauk."

"How...how can...but ours is the first colony ship. We're supposed to prepare the way for the others." I finally looked up at the captain, confused and frightened.

"In 2102 the hyper drive was invented. Montauk has been colonized for over 300 years."

I thought for a moment. "But...but if anything happened...if anything happened they were supposed to get us. Like if a second, faster ship came along, they were supposed to get us. I don't... I don't..."

"Your ship went off course after colliding with an asteroid perhaps 30 to 50 years after launch. _New Horizon_ was thought lost. We picked up a distress call from your ship 23 days ago," the captain continued. "My crew and I were sent to investigate. We boarded your ship yesterday. I'm afraid your ship has been badly damaged."

"How badly damaged? And why wake me up? Why not Captain Monteiro? Or one of the other lieutenants?"

Holding my gaze with his intelligent green eyes, Captain Lycan levelly said, "From what we’ve been able to ascertain so far, your ship sustained external damage on several occasions. A collision with another asteroid, space junk perhaps. Two of the three cryo rooms experienced a malfunction roughly 60 years ago. A few people survived, but most died. The captain and all but three of the lieutenants died. Lieutenants Brown and Grayson are still in cryo; we chose you because ... well, it will be clear in a while."

"You said three lieutenants. Who was the third? My brother, Thomas Corwin, is he..."

"You are the third, Mr. Corwin," the captain interrupted.

"Oh yes, of course," I said, flushing. I wasn't really accustomed to thinking of myself as a lieutenant. I had finished my education early and was commissioned right before launch. "We'll need them both. Brown is ..." It hit me suddenly. "But, what about my brother? My brother, Thomas Corwin, did he ..." I broke off.

"He survived the power failure, but apparently died 12 years ago. I'm sorry."

I felt lightheaded. My brother was dead? I put my head in my hands. There was a shuffling noise at the door. I looked up as an old woman meandered in, looking at us all in confusion before shuffling out again. "A member of your crew?" I asked, with bitter levity.

"No, yours," the young security guy said. "Kathryn." In my confused state it meant nothing to me. "Your sister," he clarified.

At this declaration I passed out.


	2. Castor Lycan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter in which we hear from Captain Castor Lycan and start to get an idea about the world Jack has awakened into.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **New Horizon Colony Ship** | 
> 
> **The Defiant**  
>   
> ---|---  
> Tom, Jack 18, Katy Corwin | **The Cadre:** | **The Crew:**  
> |     | Captain Castor Lycan 25 (mindlinked) |     | Master Engineer Cy Concannon  
>   |   | Kyle Tabor 26 - pilot (mindlinked) |   | Dr. Seka Corea  
> **The Triumph** |   | Marcus Kilian (mindlinked) |   | Kara Reid  
> Captain Egan Lycan |   | Demetri (Demmy) (mindlinked) |   |    
> Commander Robert Meyers |   | Fendi Jayadi 19 (not mindlinked) | **The Apprentices:**  
>   |   |   |     | Renny Lycan 16  
>   | **The Guests:** |   | Tyler 16  
> |  | Caelin Hall 17 |  |   
> |  | Mr. Wright |  |   
  
**Present Day – Captain Castor Lycan**

My crew and I watched helplessly as the young lieutenant from _New Horizon_ slumped across the table in a faint. "Well, that's that then," I said crisply, not bothering to hide my annoyance.

While Mr. Concannon and Dr. Seka went to his side, I watched with something akin to distaste. Awakening the sandy-haired 18 year-old from cryogenic sleep had been a mistake to begin with. He was too young to speak for himself much less the rest of _New Horizon_. Once his chamber had opened and I saw how truly young he appeared, I hadn’t expected to glean much information from him and in that regard I wasn’t disappointed. Unfortunately, our options were limited as there were few surviving members of _New Horizon’s_ original crew. Jack Corwin. What was I going to do with him?

My rather large bodyguard and sometime guardian gently lifted the young man and asked, "To _The Defiant_ , Captain?"

"No. There’s not enough room to take them all on our ship. For now set him up in one of the bunks here. There are bunks here, correct?”

“Yes, Captain,” Kyle replied.

I gave a nod. “That’ll do. Thank you, Mr. Concannon." Hefting the teenager, Mr. Concannon left, accompanied by Dr. Seka.

Once the commotion of removing Jack from the bridge was over, I leaned back in my chair and glared at Fendi, who had been trying to remain unnoticed.

"I'm sorry, Captain," Fendi said when he realized his try for invisibility wasn’t succeeding.

“I expect better from you. Need I remind you that a stray word in this situation can have dire consequences?”

“No, sir. I’ll be more careful.”

My young weapons master bravely held my gaze while I drummed my fingers on the table, debating whether to take him out. "You're on dishes for the next two weeks. Use the time to ponder why silence is sometimes a good thing."

"Yes, sir," Fendi said, looking chagrined, but relieved. As far as punishments went, this was barely a slap on the wrist. The 19 year-old was the most health-conscious member of my crew and insisted on cooking dinner for everyone. His gourmet cooking hobby meant that the crew of _The Defiant_ ate better than anyone else in the Space Guard fleet. Even when my ship was in drydock or stationed on our mother ship, _The Triumph_ , my crew nearly always gathered aboard our smaller scout ship to dine together every day. Fendi always cleaned up the kitchen as he cooked and usually washed the dinner dishes anyway, so this was scarcely a punishment for him.  

"Head back to _The Defiant_."

"Yes, Captain." Fendi fled.

Kyle grinned when he and I were alone on the bridge. "Were we ever like that, Cas? When we were growing up I thought it was crap that we couldn’t talk at mealtimes or when the adults were around. Now I'm starting to understand the wisdom in it."

I gave a tired smile. "It was going to be a difficult conversation anyway, but Fendi certainly didn't help. And he’s not _that_ young, he should have known better." Still, it might be helpful having someone closer to Jack’s age nearby, to keep him occupied and out of our way. Sending a message to my ship’s computer via the ever-present mindlink, I ordered, _Haggis, send Caelin over. Tell him to find Dr. Seka and help with Jack._

Kyle’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. “Caelin? You just got one kid out from underfoot, you sure you want to bring another one over?” Being one of my cadremates, Kyle shared the mindlink with Haggis and me, along with the other two members of our cadre, Marcus and Demmy. Fendi was also a cadremate but he came much later and wasn’t mindlinked with us. Given our age difference, I often found myself grateful for that fact. Over the years it had proven awkward enough being treated to the intimate thoughts of three other teen boys. Last thing I needed was another one.

“Caelin needs something to do,” I said.

Kyle snorted. “He should have been left on _The Triumph_ , or Montauk.”

“It’s not his fault,” I said quietly. “I agreed to take him. I’m not going to have him doing nothing. Besides, he can keep Jack preoccupied.”

My cadremate knew my feelings on the subject of Caelin, and he gave in quickly, nodding that he understood, not necessarily that he agreed. Caelin was our guest, courtesy of his government and mine. I felt an affinity for the quiet 17 year-old, knowing that it was just an accident of birth that had sent him to us. It could easily have been me. Besides, in the five months since he had joined my ship, he had proven to be smart, polite, eager to please... everything that a child of a ruling family should be.

Leaving the subject of Caelin, Kyle suggested, "Shall we continue exploring the ship?"

"Yes. Let's check out the storage bays."

Kyle and I left the bridge and headed for the storage bays which were located below the cryo deck and above the engine rooms. As we passed the cryo deck, we soberly paused to look in the door of the third room. Dozens of cryogenic chambers stood still and dark, no hum of electricity, no sign of life. Soon after we had first boarded _The Defiant_ , we had investigated all of the cryo rooms and were taken aback by the sight of so many desiccated remains. The inhabitants of the chambers were obviously dead, so we hadn’t broken the seals on the chambers. I had notified my brother Egan on _The Triumph_ , leaving it to him to decide whether to leave the colonists entombed on this derelict ship or send in a clean-up crew to deal with them.

I placed a hand on Kyle’s shoulder, giving him a gentle pull to drag him away from the room. His dark eyes flitted to mine, and I saw mirrored on his face the same sadness and horror that was surely on my own. It was nearly incomprehensible to us that the colonists of that chamber had survived the asteroid collision and 400 years on the ship, only to die by sabotage mere weeks ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much longer chapters are coming! The first few are shorter because I'm sorting through DOZENS of versions of this story that I've written over the years, deciding on POV's and when to introduce particular characters and story lines. So much more to this story to come!  
> Thanks for reading!


	3. Jack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack wakes up, starts exploring, and finds something unexpected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **New Horizon Colony Ship** | 
> 
> **The Defiant**  
>   
> ---|---  
> Tom, Jack 18, Katy Corwin | **The Cadre:** | **The Crew:**  
> |     | Captain Castor Lycan 25 (mindlinked) |     | Master Engineer Cy Concannon  
>   |   | Kyle Tabor 26 - pilot (mindlinked) |   | Dr. Seka Corea  
> **The Triumph** |   | Marcus Kilian (mindlinked) |   | Kara Reid  
> Captain Egan Lycan |   | Demetri (Demmy) (mindlinked) |   |    
> Commander Robert Meyers |   | Fendi Jayadi 19 (not mindlinked) | **The Apprentices:**  
>   |   |   |     | Renny Lycan 16  
>   | **The Guests:** |   | Tyler 16  
> |  | Caelin Hall 17 |  |   
> |  | Mr. Wright |  |   
  
**Present Day – Jack Corwin**

I awoke suddenly and for a brief moment was happy to discover I wasn’t still in that horrid coffin otherwise known of as a cryo chamber. Realizing I was in one of the narrow bunks in the living quarters, I sat up and saw I had an audience. Sitting on another bunk, one leg tucked under the other, sat a boy about my own age, maybe slightly younger. He had dark hair and eyes and he sat patiently watching me. A few steps away stood a middle-aged man who reminded me of the bodyguard guy I’d met on the bridge. He looked to be in his 40s, tall and square and though he leaned easily against the bulkhead with his arms crossed, I bet he could spring into action in a second.

“Hello, Lt. Corwin?” the teen asked, getting to his feet and stepping closer. I noticed he looked first to the man before coming too close, and proceeded only when he got a slight nod. “I’m Caelin Hall, and this is Mr. Wright, my guard.”

“Guard? Like a bodyguard? Or guarding you? Do you all have one?” I asked, looking at them blearily in the darkened room.

Caelin laughed. “No, just Captain Lycan and me.”

I was going to ask why he had a bodyguard when the memories from before came crashing into my mind, and I realized I had a lot more important questions to ask. I stood and held to the railing of the upper bunk until my dizziness passed.

“Are you alright?” Caelin asked, looking from me to Mr. Wright in concern.

“I’m fine.” I shakily made my way to the hatch, the two trailing behind me.

“Do you want to go somewhere? I think the captain wants you to stay in here.”

Tossing him an annoyed glance, I continued on my way. Somewhere on this ship was my little sister, who was somehow now old, and I was going to find her.

“I can get you something to drink, or are you hungry? Please wait here, Lt. Corwin, I think Dr. Seka is coming back to check on you momentarily.”

Sparing a glance behind me at the worried boy, I said, “Just call me Jack, okay?”

“Okay, Jack.” His relieved expression turned to concern again when I continued on my way. I heard him talking in a low tone to the man, Mr. Wright, but they seemed to give up on trying to get me to stay in the living quarters, and just followed.

I only vaguely knew my way around the ship. As far as influence or command went, I was near the bottom of the barrel. Tom was the roboticist with the big dreams of escaping Earth and colonizing another planet. He had joined the United Nations Space Corps at the urging of one of his professors who was already on the list for the first colony ship. Families were wanted, which was how Katy and myself got to come along. While Tom kept busy with important secret military projects, I was fast-tracked through school and college, graduating and enlisting in the Corps shortly before launch. As far as usefulness to the mission went, I was just barely qualified for anything beyond the role of any of the younger kids, the children of the scientists and other military types, whose sole job was to eventually populate the new planet. Still, it had been easy to get caught up in Tom’s excitement. 400 years? It was just yesterday.

I wandered around, trying to appear that I knew where I was going for the benefit of the two now-silent members of my entourage. I gradually realized that the further I got from the bridge, the less clinical and military the ship appeared, and the more lived-in it seemed. Papers and clothes started appearing here and there, fallen to the floor of the corridor or hanging off a door. Well, if Katy had lived here for some time – Tom too – it made sense that they had made their home somewhere on the ship.

I heard voices, young ones, children’s voices, and I instantly perked up. Even though I’d been at the top of the age range during the two years of training, I’d become fairly familiar with all of the kids on _New Horizon_. I hurried my footsteps, anxious to see recognizable faces of my fellow colonists who had survived. Rounding a corner I spied three children, two boys and a girl, and after my happy anticipation, the moment I realized I didn’t know them was crushing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last of the short chapters for a while! Next we'll be going back in time slightly to see how Lycan and his crew on The Defiant came to be on New Horizon.


	4. Four Weeks Previously - Castor Lycan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Four weeks previously, when the distress call was first heard...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **New Horizon Colony Ship** | 
> 
> **The Defiant**  
>   
> ---|---  
> Tom, Jack 18, Katy Corwin | **The Cadre:** | **The Crew:**  
> |     | Captain Castor Lycan 25 (mindlinked) |     | Master Engineer Cy Concannon  
>   |   | Kyle Tabor 26 - pilot (mindlinked) |   | Dr. Seka Corea  
> **The Triumph** |   | Marcus Kilian (mindlinked) |   | Kara Reid  
> Captain Egan Lycan |   | Demetri (Demmy) (mindlinked) |   |    
> Commander Robert Meyers |   | Fendi Jayadi 19 (not mindlinked) | **The Apprentices:**  
>   |   |   |     | Renny Lycan 16  
>   | **The Guests:** |   | Tyler 16  
> |  | Caelin Hall 17 |  |   
> |  | Mr. Wright |  |   
  
Four Weeks Previously – _The Triumph_ \- Castor Lycan

Life in the Space Guard sounds exciting, at least when you're a kid. Join the Space Guard and see the galaxy! Protect Montauk from pirates and Earth AI and Toren scum! That's what the posters say. They're geared for kids after all, since most people begin their apprenticeships at age 15 or 16. I myself apprenticed at 14, but my situation was different. I was never influenced by the posters, never even saw them until I had already taken the oath pledging my allegiance to Montauk, the Space Guard, and by extension... my own family. We don't have posters at Lachappelle. I joined the Space Guard because of my brother Egan. He apprenticed in the Guards at 15, so from my earliest memories he was dressed in the Guard's black uniform, with the military bearing and grace befitting it.

Our eldest two brothers, twins Derek and Gregor, two years older than Egan (and 14 years older than me), were distant beings, always following Father about, learning to take over the businesses. They would speak to me if I made myself known, but otherwise tended to overlook my existence. My sisters, Eleanor and Maureen, are next in the lineup. At ten and eight years older than myself, they belonged to the shadowy world somewhere between my own childhood and the world of the adults. They would swoop down upon me when it suited them to engage me in play, then just as suddenly abandon me. Perry is next and just four years older than me. He became a playwright. Yes, a playwright. Luckily for him he’s a member of one of the ruling families and doesn’t have to make a living. Even as a child he walked about a dreamy air, his head in the clouds and scarcely a thought for me. We played together and were friends and still are, but as a child I never desired to emulate him. My less than careful regard of Perry in no way means I am the golden child of the family. No, the Lycans have two black sheep in their youngest sons, but that’s another story.

So, the Space Guard. Egan was the dashing one who would descend upon the household during holidays and tell stories of life in space, most of which were undoubtedly made up. Cy Concannon was already appointed my sentinel, and since Egan and Cy were of an age, the three of us would ditch the estate at every opportunity. We explored the hills and caves of Montauk, swam the rivers and flew off the cliffs. To Egan I was never invisible, and it was because of my admiration for him that I joined the Guards.

Speaking from 11 years' experience, I can say that life in space isn't as exciting as the posters make it out to be. The Guard has two primary duties. The first is shuttling people between Montauk and Toren, the two planets in our system. Toren has many factions, all at war, with lingering battles that mostly involve trading insults and embargoes. Montauk, my home planet, has remained neutral with all sides, allowing the Guards to come and go, making us the conduit for diplomatic missions. This first duty is how we spend most of our time.

Our second duty is watching for ships entering or leaving the local system. It sounds boring, but is actually the more exciting because you never know who's going to show up. Incoming ships have to leave hyperspace at a distance from the planets to avoid collision, so when they appear we make first contact and determine if they're friend or foe. They're often foes. Sometimes, of course, they're trading ships or ones bringing colonists who won the lottery to leave Earth, but other times they're pirate ships, small vessels that wink out of hyperspace long enough to wreak a bit of havoc and then wink away again, untraceable. In my 11 years in the Guard I've only encountered space pirates a handful of times. AI ships from Earth, Mars, and the Moon are the greater danger. Our local system has taken precautions to keep them out, but the AI's appetite for resources is never quenched, and they never stop trying.

Most of the time, though, we just go about our duties on board ship, which for me and all the junior officers and apprentices means studying. When we first joined _The Triumph_ as apprentices, my cadre and I had taken classes every morning from 0700 until lunch at 1200. We learned mathematics, physics, engineering, astronomy, rhetoric, chemistry and biology. We spent the afternoons in practicums, rotating throughout the ship to absorb as much as we could and to help out as best we could. First as an apprentice then as ensign and finally lieutenant, my teen years and early 20s were spent studying and passing the examinations that led to certification in various aspects of spaceflight. Even now when I had finally reached the age of majority, 25, and was a full lieutenant in the Space Guard (and a captain when I took out my own ship, _The Defiant!_ ), I still spent a good part of every day in my studies.

Our ship, Montauk Space Guard _The Triumph_ , had been stationed 2 light-years outside of Montauk, patrolling the edge of the local system. With a crew of 18 officers, 130 enlisted, and a handful of civilians, _The Triumph_ is one of the primary Montaukian peacekeepers, patrolling the borders as well as serving as base from which smaller diplomatic ships, including my own are sent on missions _. The Defiant_ is one of three smaller ships garrisoned on _The Triumph_. It is nominally the Space Guard’s, but in reality, it's my family’s. As is _The Triumph_ , actually. The Lycan family builds the ships, crews them, and patrols the space around Montauk so that the other four clans can conduct their businesses peacefully. Spaceships are just one of our endeavors… we Lycans have our share of many other enterprises as well.

One morning I was on watch with Commander Robert Meyers, Ensigns Kara Reid and Thomas Rivers, and one of my cadremates, Marcus Kilian. As always on routine patrol, we were all using the down time on the bridge to study. This particular group was put together because we were all studying piloting and astronavigation. Well, Commander Meyers wasn't studying; he was there to help if we needed it. And to run the ship. He was the official navigator on _The Triumph_ and had long ago passed the exam to obtain his mastery astronavigation certification. Now he was spending his morning checking out the latest research on the subject to stay on top of things. The Guard has the highest standards and expects its officers and crew to be the best at what they do.

Marcus, whose normal duties on _The Triumph_ involved communications, was studying piloting and astronavigation for the novice examination. Once he passed it, he would be rated to be a pilot on all shuttles. His goal was to be a backup pilot on _The Defiant_ , but for that he would have to pass not only the novice exam, but also the technician and specialist exams. Each area of expertise has four levels of exams: novice, technician, specialist, and mastery. Each progression resulted in certification for increasingly complex ships, culminating in starships with the mastery exam.

I was studying to retake the mastery exam, having earned a passing but disappointing C level the previous go-round. My father was disappointed enough to ream me out via licom from Port City, asking if I thought a crew in the Space Guard deserved to serve under a captain who had only managed a C level in astronavigation. "No, sir," I replied. Like my brother Egan before me, I knew I was expected to obtain an A level in every mastery exam leading to command of a ship in the Guard. I already had my A levels in the specialist exams for all 12 subjects, and now I had to proceed with the mastery exams. Most officers only received one or two certifications. Being Lycans, however, my brother and I were held to higher standards. It was going to take a few more years before I completed them all. Luckily there was a lot of down time on watch so I could study.

In the middle of a chapter on gravitational waves as related to burn ratios on Class A starships, I was pondering whether to fetch a cup of coffee from the coffeemaker just outside the bridge, or call down for "real" coffee from the galley. I glanced sidelong at Commander Meyers, trying to judge his mood and whether he would call me out if I left the bridge to refill my cup. We had a strained relationship at the best of times. Meyers had attended the Academy and worked his way up the line to Commander. He was a good officer with the respect of the crew and had no patience for officers who purchased their commissions. Now he found himself on a ship where the Captain had been given the whole ship, not just a commission. Worse still, the Captain's spoiled youngest brother was aboard and had been given his own scout ship. Not only did daddy buy his commission, daddy was Lord of Montauk. Meyers was appalled at my overfamiliarity with the bridge and the Captain. Well, I had grown up on the bridge since the age of 14, and the Captain was my brother, so what did he expect? Meyers was so determined to show that he wasn't going to give me any special treatment that he ended up giving me special treatment anyway... of the opposite, hard-nosed variety. He was forever finding fault with me. In the two years since he had joined the crew, scarcely a day went by that I didn't find myself in his sights. 

So here I was on deck, wasting time wondering if Meyers would write me up if I got up for coffee, and whether he would be more annoyed if I called down for it. Deciding it would be less "spoiled" if I got it myself, I stood, picking up my coffee cup. Meyers raised an eyebrow but gave a quick nod. "Would anyone else care for a refill?" I asked. "Sir?"

"Thank you, Lieutenant," the Commander said, gesturing to his cup.

I took both mugs to the mini kitchen outside the bridge, and quickly brewed another pot. I stretched, glad for the escape from computing gravitational waves and the stultifying atmosphere on the bridge.

 _Castor, coffee please?_ asked Marcus via mindlink. A few years ago my cadremates and I had traveled to the Toren Concession on Montauk, a cesspit of criminality and individuals with unfortunate life events, a place which we were forbidden to travel to, for the purpose of becoming mindlinked. The process involves the injection of nanos into the cerebral cortex. The nanos could be set to particular encryptions so that they would only pick up and transmit to others with the same frequency. Once in the body, they allowed the linked people to communicate without speaking. A common misconception is that it's mindreading, but it isn't. There has to be a modicum of intentionality in transmitting the thoughts. In the beginning, before we were fully used to it, we transmitted far more of our thoughts and emotions than we really wanted, but by now being linked was a comfortable hum in the background of my mind.

 _Sure thing,_ I replied, wondering how I would manage to carry three cups.

Once the coffee was brewed, I quickly filled the cups, promising myself that after my shift ended I would head to the galley for a proper cup, not this nearly-instant swill. I held Commander Meyer's mug in one hand, and the other two in the other. If I had to risk dropping one, it wasn't going to be Meyer's. As I headed back onto the bridge, I stopped at the hatch. "Permission to enter the bridge, Commander?" I formally asked. He was a stickler for protocol, especially where I was concerned.

"Granted," Meyers said. I set his cup carefully on the small side table at his chair, and he thanked me again. He scowled at seeing the third cup being handed to Marcus, knowing that we must have mindlinked. Mindlinking had fallen out of fashion in my grandfather's day. Any sort of augmentation involving increasing intelligence was frowned upon, and I knew Meyers didn't like this reminder that four junior members of his crew had it.

The next few hours passed as slowly as the previous ones had. I helped Kara with her simulation, which helped with the boredom, but I was still more than glad when I went off duty at noon.

I headed for the shuttle bay where _The Defiant_ was docked with two other scout ships. _The Defiant_ was a sleek state of the art ship. Every year it went back to the station outside Montauk where Lycan Industries gave it the latest hardware upgrades. Software upgrades came all the time, and were done from its berth in _The Triumph_. I had quarters on _The Triumph_ , where I was required to sleep so as to be at hand if needed, but off duty I could usually be found on _The Defiant_. It was the one place where my cadre and I could be ourselves. On Montauk, children of the upper and ruling class were often raised together in small groups or cadres. Usually they disbanded when the kids went off to their apprenticeships. Mine was unusual in that all of us ended up in the Guard together. It was also unusual because it was comprised of three aristocrats and one son of indentured servants. We were all equal within the cadre, or we had been. Now we were in the Guard and had varying ranks. In _The Defiant_ , however, we could revert back to the comfortable relationship we had as kids.

Everyone from my cadre also served as crew of _The Defiant_. The instant I crossed through the airlock I became Captain. Kyle was pilot, Marcus communications, and Demmy (short for Demetri) operations. In addition we had Fendi Jayadi on weapons, Kara Reid on systems, Renny (my cousin) as engineering apprentice, Tyler as all-around apprentice, and Cy Concannon, my bodyguard, in charge of engineering. We also had young Caelin Hall and his Mr. Wright, but they weren’t members of my crew, and we didn’t know how long they would be with us. On away missions we were joined by Dr. Seka Corea. Fendi loved to cook, and made a family meal every day. Anyone who wasn't on duty elsewhere joined in, even Dr. Seka sometimes. I think my brother Egan had something to do with nearly everyone being available every day.

When I arrived for lunch, the table was set and everyone was waiting for me to sit down before beginning. They didn't have to; lunch was a casual affair unlike dinner on _The Triumph_. "Good afternoon," I greeted everyone, taking my place at the head of the table. They greeted me back, and we all dug in. Fendi had baked chicken, seasoned to perfection. "This is fantastic," I said, nodding to Fendi.

"Thanks, Captain," he said with a grin. "Try the salad. First harvest from _Defiant's_ new hydroponics."

None of the other scout ships were outfitted with hydroponics. There was really no need since they were all intended to be used for short missions. All necessary food would easily fit in the walk-in freezers and refrigerators they all had. Fendi was a health nut, however, and wanted us to have the freshest, healthiest food possible. Since he was rarely able to talk us into working out with him, he tried to influence our health by cooking for us. A few months ago he talked me into putting in a small hydroponics lab. If it made cooking for us easier, I didn't mind. I tried the salad and complimented him on it.

"Tyler did the actual harvesting," Fendi said, nudging the boy, who flushed. Tyler was 16 and became embarrassed whenever attention was focused on him.

"Nicely done, Tyler," I said.

"Thank you, sir," he said, looking at his plate, a shy smile on his face.

I set to eating, letting the others chat. My crew was young, with nearly half of them under the age of majority. They weren't allowed to talk at mealtimes on _The Triumph_ unless someone spoke to them first. That was another area where we had relaxed the rules on _The Defiant_. It was mostly by necessity, since I had been given command of it when I was 23 and still a minor myself. Couldn't very well not talk at my own table.

After lunch Tyler and Renny cleaned up while the rest of us held our daily briefing. Everyone updated me on upgrades and what they were working on, both on _The Defiant_ and _The Triumph_. Marcus and Kara were in the middle of a system update, so I dismissed them both to work on it. _Triumph's_ computer could push the update to _The Defiant_ , but my crew wanted to know exactly what was being done to our ship, so they took care of everything themselves when it was feasible.

Late afternoon found me once more on the bridge of _The Triumph_ , again with Commander Meyers, Kara, Marcus, and an ensign named Jacob. This time I was joined by Caelin. He wasn’t allowed on the bridge without me, and was under strict orders to stay out of everyone’s way and not say a word. Even so, Commander Meyers gave me a sharp look when I showed up with the boy in tow. I’m sure he would have forbidden it, but knew I’d just run to my brother for permission. I was careful not to smirk as I shoved Caelin to a station and set him to work on beginning astronavigation. It was only fair, I thought. While he wasn’t exactly an apprentice, there was no reason he couldn’t learn what Renny and Tyler did. I was determined he should have the chance at a future just like them. The next hour progressed quietly, and since I had forbidden him from speaking, Caelin just glanced up at me any time he had a question in his studies, and I would sit at his side, offering quiet explanations.

Just when the thought of coffee came again to my mind, a small red light flashed on Kara's console. She switched from her piloting simulation to the communications screen that was her actual duty when on the bridge. Everyone looked up but no one spoke. I didn't bother to ask what it was about; she'd tell us when she found out. She listened intently, tensing and sitting straighter in her chair after a minute or so. Several minutes later she removed her earbud and swiveled in her chair to face Commander Meyers. Sitting next to the Commander, I could read the excitement in her eyes. "Mr. Meyers," she said, "I think you should hear this. It’s from Quadrant 15." Quadrant 15 was the sector through which Earth-bound traffic traveled.

“What is it, Kara? Put it on audio.”

There came the sound of static, followed by a series of clicks, some long and some short. “Is that STS?” I asked, “It doesn't sound like it.” STS, or ship-to-ship is the method ships' computers use to exchange information. When one ship in space encounters another, they automatically identify themselves. And if a ship is damaged, deserted or under duress, that information is conveyed also.

"It doesn't appear to have STS,” Kara said, “Or if it does, it isn't functioning." Her eyes suddenly alight, she suggested, "Pirates!"

Space pirates. They usually disconnected the STS, though that gave them away just as surely as if they had left it on.

"It's a weak signal," Kara said apologetically, turning back and fiddling with the controls.

"But it sounds like-" the Commander began.

"Morse code!" Fendi interrupted excitedly. Meyers looked put out, quite properly so, and Fendi had the presence of mind to apologize for interrupting. If it had been me interrupting, I probably would have been written up.

"I almost have it translated," said Kara. "Just a second more."

"Morse code hasn't been used in over 300 years, ever since STS came into widespread use," Meyers, ever the teacher, explained. "I find it difficult to believe that pirates would employ it."

"Unless they were posing as someone else," I suggested.

"Okay, I have it," said Kara. "'SOS... _UNSC New Horizon_... please help... ship damaged...' and then it repeats itself."

" _UNSC New Horizon_ ," I repeated, thinking. “It sounds familiar.”

“It should. _New Horizon_ was the first colony ship sent out from Earth. Haggis, tell us what you know about the _UNSC New Horizon_ ,” ordered Meyers. “Wait. Mr. Hall, return to your quarters.”

Caelin looked at me in confusion. I gave a quick nod and he got up and left. I didn’t miss Meyers’s look of annoyance that the boy turned to me for confirmation before obeying. I’d have to speak to Caelin later.

“Alright, Haggis,” Meyers said.

The male voice of the computer immediately spoke up. " _New Horizon_ was the first colony ship of the United Nations Space Corps. Launched in 2037 with a crew of 160, it was intended to be the first ship to land on Telstar, or present-day Montauk. The intended 403 year-long trip ended abruptly in 2056 when all contact ceased. _New Horizon_ is presumed destroyed. Would you like a run-down of the ship's roster or the diagrams of the specifications?"

"No, that's enough for now," Meyers said. He paged the captain, requesting his presence on the bridge.

Kara had turned off the signal before the computer spoke, and now the silence was total. I swiveled slightly in my chair, thinking this over. Was the ship really _New Horizon_? Or was it a trap, either by pirates or the Torens? I didn't think the Torens would bother. Why would they want to lure a Guard ship? Why, for that matter, would space pirates? The modus operandi of the pirates was to swoop down on some unsuspecting leisure craft. Attracting the notice of the Guard was the last thing they'd be wanting.

"Opinions?" asked Meyers.

"Pirates," Jacob said immediately.

"Why?"

"It's a trap, sir, a new tactic. They pretend to be an old phantom ship that somehow miraculously survived, get us to lower our guard, then step in and take our ship."

"I don't know,” I put in. “It seems that if they wanted to take a Guard vessel, they'd do it by stealth. Or battle. And I scarcely think they'd take on _The Triumph_ as their first target." And bring upon themselves the wrath of the Five Clans. No, they wouldn't be wanting that.

"That's what they've done in the past. They're trying something new," Fendi said.  
It still didn't seem right.

"Do we have a visual on the ship yet?" asked Meyers.

"No, sir," Kara replied. "It's still out of range." She was referring to the system of satellites Montauk had placed at strategic locations around the local system.

As we waited for Captain Egan Lycan, my brother, to come to the bridge, I spoke to the computer. _Haggis, patch me through to Egan._ The mindlink allowed me direct communication with the ship's computer, which sent out a signal to Egan, who, because he had no mindlink, was notified via a button-sized commlink on his collar.

Five seconds after I gave the order, the computer said, in my brother's voice, _Hello, Castor. I’m on my way -- what's up?_ Since my brother didn't have the nanos, he had to either type in his messages on his own computer if he was at his desk, or speak directly to his own commlink. I didn't know which he chose, because I had long ago given Haggis an order to use Egan's voice when relaying his messages. I had to be able to distinguish between the computer's input and Egan's.

_We got a distress call from a ship without STS capability. It identifies itself, in Morse code, as the United Nations Space Corp New Horizon. The original colony ship that was thought lost over 360 years ago._

_Do you think it is?_

_I don't know, but I’d like to investigate with The Defiant. It’s still in the Free Zone, but soon it’ll be in Montaukian space. It could be pirates._

_Interesting. Cas..._

_Yes?_

_Was this so important you couldn't wait for Meyers to tell me about it?_

_Um... yes?_

_'Um... no', you mean._

_I'm sorry._

_It's Meyers I'm sure you'll be apologizing to before the day is over._

_No doubt._ I inwardly sighed. I knew Egan wouldn't pretend I hadn't informed him already.

Just then the hatch opened and Captain Lycan strode in, ready to assess the situation. Sure enough, he said, “ _New Horizon_ , eh, Robert? What’s your opinion?”

After one brief, sharp, glance in my direction, Robert outlined the situation to the Captain. I sighed, knowing I was in for it later. Of everyone on board, there were only four of us with the brain implants that allowed us to silently communicate with each other and the ship’s computer. Mindlinking fell out of fashion about 50 years ago. A few of the wealthy people in my grandparents’ generation were still linked; as a child, it exasperated me to no end to have my grandfather and his friends suddenly erupt into laughter at some unsaid joke at an otherwise silent tea. Now it was me and my cadremates laughing at our own jokes that no one else could hear. So I knew how it must grate on Commander Meyers' nerves for his subordinates to be in contact with each other and the captain. And steal his thunder, as it were. Not to mention bypassing the chain of command. But my first duty was to my family, no matter how it annoyed Mr. Meyers. Still, I didn’t look forward to the next time we were alone together.

Kara played the signal for everyone to hear and Mr. Meyers gave a succinct rundown.

"Haggis, alert all senior officers to the bridge. Five minutes."

Rats. If the senior officers were meeting, the rest of us could expect to be told to leave. I sat silently, willing Egan to overlook me. Mr. Meyers looked pointedly at me, however, until I sighed. "Come along, kids," I said to the others. "The adults want to talk."

The others followed me out. "Let's head to the galley for coffee. I'm buying," I said.

"Shouldn’t we stay nearby?" Jacob asked.

"They know where to find us." And I was sure Meyers _would_ find me, eventually.

While we brunched on the free coffee and cinnamon rolls in the galley, I was conversing with my cadremates. _Kyle, Marcus, ready The Defiant, and ask Tyler to pack my things. Find Dr. Seka and Mr. Concannon and ask them to be ready to board. And be sure the others are ready to go._

My crew knew the drill. We kept _The Defiant_ ready to go at a moment's notice. There was no guarantee that Egan would send a scout ship and no guarantee that it would be _The Defiant_ if he did, but I wanted us to be ready. I had just refilled my coffee when the call came for me to report back to the bridge.

Once granted permission to enter the bridge, I saluted the room in general. I was surprisingly nervous. I really wanted to go on this mission. Egan appeared solemn, but I could read the smile in his eyes. "Is _The Defiant_ ready to go?"

"Yes, sir." _The Defiant_ was always ready to go, a fact which everyone on board knew.

"Good. You are to take _The Defiant_ and scout out the source of the distress signal. You are not to rendezvous, make contact, or let them know of your presence to the best of your ability. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir."

" _The Triumph_ will follow. By the time you reach the ship, we'll be eight days behind you. If contact is to be made, we will make it. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well. I want _The Defiant_ on its way ASAP."

"Yes, sir!" I saluted and headed out, trying to ignore the glare from Meyers.

In my quarters I found a note from Tyler, saying that he had already packed my bag and would await me on _The Defiant_. I was about to head out when the hatch flew open and Robert Meyers strode in. His neglect of the courtesy of knocking was not lost on me. “Commander,” I acknowledged, standing to attention.

His irritation had clearly been building. “Where is your diffuser, Mr. Lycan?”

“In my desk, sir.”

“Put it on,” he ordered, his words short and even.

The last thing I heard in my mind before fastening the small metal pin to my collar and turning it on was a sympathetic, _You poor sod_ , from Kyle, _he wants the blocker, you’re in for it now--_ Then I pressed the face of the pin; it lit up with a slight blue hue and there was sudden silence. Well, silence in my mind. The constant background buzz of Haggis and the awareness of my cadremates’ presence was gone. Mr. Meyers was not, however, silent.

“Now, Mr. Lycan, am I correct in thinking that you mindlinked with the Captain before he came onto the bridge?”

“Yes, sir, I did.”

“May I ask why?”

Why? “I often speak with my brother, sir.”

“Aboard this ship, he is your Captain, not your brother.”

“Yes, sir, he’s both, sir.”

“Aboard this ship, he is your Captain, not your brother,” he repeated slowly, angrily. “Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

"This isn't the first time we've had this conversation. On several occasions you have run to your brother with information."

That made it sound like I was complaining or tattling or spying. "Sir? My first duty is to my family."

Meyers sighed. "Sit down."

I sat on the edge of my bunk, bracing myself for a long talk and hoping he would hurry it up. I had a mission to go on!

"I am aware of your loyalty to the Lycans. You _are_ a Lycan. In many respects, the Montaukian Space Guard and the Lycans are one and the same. Your family designs and builds the ships, and has officers placed throughout the Guard. Ships under the command of Lycans have the best crews because they demand the best and constantly strive to improve." He paused.

"Yes, sir?" I prompted, not sure where he was going with this.

"So think what that means for the crews. We aren't here for your amusement or as extras in your story. We take an oath of loyalty to the Guard the same as you do, and we also have devoted our lives and our careers to the Guard. Watching you flaunt the chain of command because you consider yourself above it all... "

"I don't think I'm above it--" I started, then fell silent. In truth I suppose I did. I dropped my eyes from his gaze. "I'm sorry, sir."

"I know I'm hard on you," Meyers said. "It isn't because I dislike you. When I joined this crew two years ago I found a smart, capable officer who was well-liked by the crew, and who was studying for nearly every certification available." He smiled, and I uncertainly returned it, waiting for the "But". "But, this same junior officer waltzed around the ship like he owned it, and routinely sidestepped the chain of command, running to the Captain with every little thing that crossed his mind."

"Not everything, sir," I said quietly, thinking that I'd never complained to Egan about Meyers himself and his treatment of me.

"Oh?" Meyers asked, eyebrow raised.

"I haven't told him about--" I broke off, looking away again. "Nothing, sir. It's not important."

Meyers smiled again. I'm sure he knew I'd taken everything in silence. "Well, then."

"Yessir. I'm sorry, sir. I'll do better."

“I hope so. You are to wear your diffuser at all times on the bridge, until I am certain you are well on your way to 'doing better'.”

“But Commander--”

“That's an order, Lieutenant.”

"Yessir. Are you going to write me up for today?"

He appraised me quietly. "Do you think it would add anything beneficial to what we've already discussed?"

I thought for a minute. "No, sir. Not really. I'll try without it."

He smiled. "Good. I'll leave you to your mission."

"Thank you, Commander."

After he left I sat for a moment on my bed, trying to get my thoughts in order. I turned off the diffuser and welcomed back the familiar sounds and feelings; the rush of thoughts of my cadremates, now a mixture of excitement and frenzied activity over leaving on _The Defiant_ ; the link to Haggis always present in the background, like the soft comforting glow of a distant nightlight.

 _You okay?_ from Kyle, my oldest friend.

_Yes, he was just angry over my talking to Egan before he showed up on the bridge._

_You going to tell Egan?_

_No. Meyers is right to be angry. I went behind his back._

_That’s rot, you’re a Lycan, but oh well. I can’t wait to get on The Defiant again._

_Me too. I'll be there shortly._ From Kyle’s response I could see how my actions and attitude had seeped down to my own crew. I would definitely have to make some changes.

On my way to the scout bay, I stopped by my brother's quarters. I saluted at the hatch, then entered. The instant I crossed the doorway the outside sounds vanished again. My brother's quarters had constant diffusers on to ensure privacy. When I had first joined his crew at the age of 14, he had established that in his quarters we were family and I could be myself with him. Normal captain/crew relations were in effect throughout the rest of the ship, but his quarters were a sanctuary.

"Sit," my brother ordered, pointing to the couch.

I tossed myself onto the sofa. Being captain on the largest starship in the fleet gave one large quarters. Egan's quarters were an entire apartment with a bedroom, a family room, bathroom, and even a small kitchen. "You and Meyers alright?" he asked.

"Did you bug my quarters?" I asked. "We're alright. Nothing like a good licking to clear the air." He raised an eyebrow and I grinned. "Really, though, I think things will be better now."

"Good. I can't have dissention amongst my officers."

"No, sir. I'm sorry for that. I’ll try to be more circumspect in our discussions from now on, I think."

"Good."

" _I'll try_ ," I emphasized, grinning again.

"Good," he repeated with a grin of his own. "Now, shouldn't you be on your way?"

"Yessir. I'm on my way."

He gave me a hug, then I headed to the scout ship bay.

I never failed to marvel at the beauty of _The Defiant_. She was a KS68 model, the latest and greatest scout ship from Lycan Technologies. She was faster than _The Triumph_ , and possessed cloaking technology that larger ships were incapable of. And she was mine. Well, my father's and the Guard's, but mine. As I walked up the hatch opened for me. Haggis Jr., _The Defiant_ 's AI, constantly monitored the whereabouts of its crew and had opened the door for me. If Haggis were incapacitated, biometric scanners would take over. If the scanners failed, there was a keypad with a 12 digit password. If all else failed, I had a key.

 _Who else is aboard?_ I asked via mindlink, the question open to whoever could hear and wanted to respond.

 _I'm here_ , Kyle and Marcus replied at the same time.

 _Me too_ , said Demmy.

 _Thanks, but I was actually asking Haggis_ , I replied.

Marcus knew I was joking, and replied, _Then I won't bother to tell you that everyone else is here too._

 _Good, cos I certainly wouldn't want to know that from you._ Tyler met me in the corridor. "Hello, Tyler," I said.

"Hello, Captain," he said, his hair messy and his face flushed with excitement at getting to go on a mission, his first. "Your quarters are ready."

"Thank you."

"I'll be organizing the storage bay if you need me."

"Righto, thanks." By then I had reached the bridge. "Hey, Kyle, Kara, Marcus."

"Hey, Captain," they said.

My second-in-command Lt. Kyle Tabor was the primary pilot for _The Defiant_. Toren by birth, he had grown up on Montauk, and had joined my cadre at the beginning when I was seven and he was eight. He had grown up with me at Lachappelle and joined the Guard with me. A steady presence, there was no one I trusted more. Well, except for my brother Egan and Concannon.

Ensign Kara Reid was 23 and had gone to the Academy, and had been a hand-picked member of my crew for a year. She was busy doing a systems check prior to launch.

Lt. Marcus Kilian was my communications officer. Two years younger than me, he had joined our cadre when I was nine. He had the distress call playing softly in the background and was intently listening.

"Do you have that memorized by now?" I asked.

"Nearly," he replied. He had always taken his job seriously, trying to catch up to Kyle and me. Since I spent my life catching up to Egan, I understood. "Are we ready, sir?"

"Soon. Kyle, verify the intercept course, if you would, and I'll check on the others."

"Aye, sir," Kyle said, bending over his keyboard to calculate our course and compare it to the one Haggis had set. On Montauk and in the Guard we didn't like to rely too heavily on AI. It was fine for the computer to make life easier, but we didn't want to lose the know-how ourselves. And we didn't want another Earth.

The bridge opened into the common room where the crew gathered when we weren't on duty elsewhere. We ate meals, played cards and other games, held meetings, and generally hung out there. There was an oval table at one end and comfortable sofas and chairs at the other. The walls were viewscreens that could simulate different environments or display movies or anything Haggis could pull up. Right now they were off, and only ambient lights were on in the room. The room was empty with the rest of the crew readying their stations for departure. The galley and medbay were next. The galley was also dark, with the same blue ambient light coming from underneath the cabinets and set into the floor. I stuck my head in medbay.

"Dr. Seka," I said, greeting the ship's doctor. Dr. Sabeseka Corea was 32 and beautiful, with dark hair and eyes, and light brown skin. She was one of the finest doctors on _The Triumph_ , and joined _The Defiant_ on our missions. Though compact, the medbay was fully stocked and held the latest equipment for most any emergency.

"Hello, Captain," she said, looking through a checklist on her handheld. "Are we holding classes this trip?"

"Yes, please," I replied. "Can you take the first one tomorrow afternoon?"

"Absolutely." She smiled and returned to her checklist.

Away missions were fun because they provided a break from the shipboard routine of _The Triumph_ , and held the possibility of something interesting happening at the destination. However, by the third day boredom would set in and by day five everyone would be getting on everyone else's nerves. By day seven, everyone would stick to their own quarters and avoid contact. After one or two missions like that I had started up a regimen of cross-training. With such a small crew I wanted as much cross-training as possible, so we had daily workshops and took turns teaching the others in our area of expertise.

After leaving medbay I checked on the rest of my crew, finding Tyler and Renny both in our storage bay. After telling them to have everything battened down before we left, I stopped to see Mr. Concannon and Fendi in engineering. My final stop was in the guest quarters that I had given to Caelin and Mr. Wright. Caelin seemed as excited as the other boys to be leaving on a mission, but his eyes held the customary tinge of haunted sadness that they always did. To give him a distraction, I ordered him to go help Tyler and Renny. Then I returned to _The Defiant’s_ bridge, and made final arrangements to leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, Castor is rather spoiled, but not totally. In the real military he probably would have been tossed out on his ear for repeatedly skipping the chain of command, but where would be the fun in that? :)
> 
> And looking at the ages of all these characters, I think I can safely say there will be spanking in this story. It won't be the cuddly variety like with John & Ramsey, however, because this story isn't going to be particularly cuddly.
> 
> Three updates in one day - sorry for all the notification emails, lol :P  
> Next up will be a new chapter in the Brothers story :)


	5. Renny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On approach to the derelict ship New Horizon, Captain Castor Lycan remembers when his cousin Renny joined the crew as his apprentice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **New Horizon Colony Ship** | 
> 
> **The Defiant**  
>   
> ---|---  
> Tom, Jack 18, Katy Corwin | **The Cadre:** | **The Crew:**  
> |     | Captain Castor Lycan 25 (mindlinked) |     | Master Engineer Cy Concannon  
>   |   | Kyle Tabor 26 - pilot (mindlinked) |   | Dr. Seka Corea  
> **The Triumph** |   | Marcus Kilian (mindlinked) |   | Kara Reid  
> Captain Egan Lycan |   | Demetri (Demmy) (mindlinked) |   |    
> Commander Robert Meyers |   | Fendi Jayadi 19 (not mindlinked) | **The Apprentices:**  
>   |   |   |     | Renny Lycan 16  
>   | **The Guests:** |   | Tyler 16  
> |  | Caelin Hall 17 |  |   
> |  | Mr. Wright |  |   
  
**Two weeks before present day - Castor Lycan**

On the 15th day of our mission we received the first visual on the derelict ship _New Horizon_. The image was vague and we couldn't judge size yet, but it looked large, certainly large enough to be a cryogenic colony ship. Kara still insisted it was space pirates. Time would tell.

We spent the time in transit getting ready, the possibility of battle with pirates at one end of the spectrum, aid to cryogenic survivors at the other. Marcus had Haggis monitoring every frequency in case a different distress signal was heard, but so far there was just the one same signal in endless repetition. I started thinking perhaps it really was _New Horizon_ , unmanned. If the ship had collided with an object in space, or if its systems had failed, the ship's computer might have automatically sent the distress signal. The ship's crew has probably been dead for centuries. My crew had begun referring to it as the ghost ship.

Leaving Kyle, Marcus, and Kara on the bridge, I decided to see what everyone else was up to. I found Mr. Concannon with the two boys, Tyler and Caelin, down in the engine room. They were on an engineering rotation every morning this trip.

"Hello, Captain," Mr. Concannon greeted as I walked in, speaking loudly to be heard over the noise. He was sitting at a console, pages of specs on the screen, watching as our apprentice and our ship’s guest sorted through the supply cabinets, inventory lists in hand.

The boys scrambled up from their spots on the floor and politely greeted me. "Is there anything you need, Captain?" Caelin asked deferentially.

Technically speaking, that question was better left to Mr. Concannon as the master engineer aboard the ship. Even though things were comparatively relaxed on _The Defiant_ , they were still underage and were more properly supposed to await notice rather than jump into adult conversation. I left the slight look of disapproval to my bodyguard, however, and merely replied, “No, thank you, carry on.”

"We're as ready as we can be, we're just checking through the specs and inventory in case we have to reconfigure an engine on the ghost ship," Mr. Concannon said, leaning back in his chair and stretching.

I opened my mouth to say it wasn't really necessary, but he cut me off with a wave of his hand. "I know, I know, it isn't necessary. _The Defiant's_ fully automated and Haggis will tell us what parts to use to construct anything we might need. But I still like to check it out with my own two eyes every once in a while. Plus," he gestured to the boys, "As long as they’re here, it's good for them to learn the names of all the bits and pieces that hold this crate together."

"All ten million of them," came a soft mumble from behind the open door of the cabinet.

"What was that?" Mr. Concannon asked sharply.

"Nothing, sir," came Tyler’s voice, but both boys looked up at us worriedly.

Mr. Concannon growled at them to get back to it, and when their heads were again buried in the cabinet, consulting in low tones over their lists, he gave me a slight wink. I smiled back at him, safe from the vantage point of having reached my majority. Not too long ago it would have been me sweating it out under his watchful eye. Rank meant nothing between my bodyguard and me. Like many of my crew on _The Defiant_ , his presence was an anomaly. He was in the Guard, but he worked for my father. He showed respect for my rank, and since my last birthday he had kept most of his displeasure at my actions behind closed doors, but he had no compunction about letting his thoughts be known. He was 37 now, the same age as my brother Egan. Where Egan was still the dashing presence to me, tall, fit, with a slender build even now, Mr. Concannon was more powerfully built. Tall, muscular, powerful. Not a man to be crossed. I certainly could have begun calling him by his given name and sometimes did, but it felt strange when I did so. He had been assigned to me when I was six and he was 18, and was as much guardian as bodyguard. The thought of casually calling him ‘Cy’ made me cringe inside.

We went over preparations a few more minutes, then I went up a flight, finding Fendi in the galley. “Where’s Renny?” I asked, seeing no signs that a second person had been there helping to prep. “He’s supposed to be helping you.”

“Oh... he’s just on a break. He’ll be back soon, sir.” Fendi was avoiding my eyes.

By all rights I should have taken him out for this obvious lie. I gazed at him until he looked up and flushed, then I asked, “How long has he been gone?”

“About half an hour, sir.”

“Go get him. You can’t let him get away with shirking.”

Fendi nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Leaving the galley, I deliberately avoided crew quarters, figuring that’s where my young cousin was. I thought back to when he had joined my crew, only two months before...

Two months ago _The Triumph_ was resupplying at Kessel Station. Egan had cornered me with the news that our Uncle Haddon had cornered him, saying he was flying up from Montauk with our cousin Renny in tow, and would we please take the boy off his hands? We had two hours to decide. Normally family members were taken without a second thought, or not much of one. Not all of us were cut out for command, of course, but a place in the Guard could be found for any Lycan if he or she really wanted it. Egan and I doubted if Renny wanted it. He was coming to us after four failed apprenticeships. Four! Life on a ship was difficult enough even for those who really desired it. It required a mental discipline that it appeared Renny lacked. As Egan and I waited for Uncle Haddon, we discussed where we could place a boy who had failed at everything so far. With a gleeful expression, Egan decided my team was an excellent place for him, and with a sinking feeling I knew I was soon going to have another apprentice joining Tyler. I didn’t have any choice in the matter. Renny was family.

I dressed formally for the occasion and as I entered the small conference room on Kessel set aside for our use, I saw that my uncle and cousin had as well. That was proper. An apprenticeship was not to be taken lightly. (Though apparently it had been before. Four! I could hardly get over that.) Haddon Lycan, my father’s younger brother, was standing by the wall of windows looking out at Montauk, the tans and greens and blues of the planet stretching out as far as the eye could see. At my entrance he turned and strode across the room, grasping me in a quick embrace.

“Castor, it’s wonderful to see you again.”

“You too, Uncle.” I turned to the other person in the room, young Renny. Renton was standing nervously in the far corner, looking rather as if were trying to avoid notice. I didn’t think he appeared to be ‘interested in space flight as a career’ as Egan had related. At a glance from his father, he crossed the room, looking up only when he was in front of me. “Hello, cousin Renny,” I said softly. I had intended to be formal from the start to reflect the solemnity of the occasion, but my uncle’s embrace as well as the sadness emanating from my cousin had changed that.

“Hello, Captain,” Renny said.

“Please, let’s sit down,” I said, since this was my show.

We sat at three sides of a small marble-topped table. Renny eased himself gently into his chair; I noticed his discomfort but didn’t let on. The vid screen lit up and split itself in two. On the left appeared Steven Worrell, Renny’s old teacher. On the right was a man I didn’t know.

“You remember Steven Worrell,” Haddon began, “And this is Robert Gaines, Renton’s former master.” We exchanged greetings while Renny stared at the smooth black table surface.

“What is your line of work, Mr. Gaines?” I asked.

“Agriculture, Captain. Oranges, grapes, that sort of thing.”

“How did you like it, Renny?” I asked.

“It was okay,” the boy muttered to the table.

“Renton!” his father reprimanded sharply. His son immediately sat up straight, flushing.

“I’m sorry, sir,” Renny said.

“He showed no aptitude for it,” Gaines said helpfully, almost cheerfully. “As often as not I’d find him shirking - sleeping or reading under a tree – off where he thought he wouldn’t be found.” Renny sank back into his chair after darting one despairing glance at me.

This was supposed to make me want to take him off their hands? A spaceship was no place for shirkers. “When did you complete Basic?” I asked, even though I knew. Basic education usually began at the age of eight and lasted seven years. I had attended his cadre’s graduation ceremony, home on leave.

“Eight months ago, sir.”

“What of your cadremates?”

Renny opened his mouth to speak, but Gaines beat him to it. “His cadremates are still apprenticed to me. With the exception of Renton here, they all successfully made the transition from school to work.”

My young cousin glared at his former master, just a flash, but I saw. It was fortunate for him that his father didn’t or he would undoubtedly have been taken out. As for me, I was glad to see signs of life from him rather than that sadness.

“How many occupations have you tried out altogether?” I asked, bringing the focus back to my cousin.

Renny hesitated before admitting, “Four, sir.”

Four was a lot, even for Montauk where people, especially people in the wealthy clans, weren’t held to an occupation they didn’t like. Most kids upon completing Basic at the age of 14 or 15 signed on with one master and stayed until reaching the age of majority at 25. Sometimes a mistake was made and the child and the job weren’t suited for each other, but that was the purpose of meetings such as this. To find out beforehand. Four meant either Renny was unsuitable for most anything, likely because of a personal fault, or because his guardians hadn’t tried very hard to find him a good match. Well, I didn’t intend to spend hours investigating the boy’s psyche. I was eager to be back to the ship, plus I had known Renny since his birth. He had been a good little kid, if somewhat of a nuisance, always tagging along after the older kids. After my own cadre had signed on with Egan for our own apprenticeships, I’d only seen my cousin on holidays. He’d been full of pranks, but never vicious ones, and he’d always been quick of mind, cheerful and displaying a good sense of humor. Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t hesitate to take him, but four failed apprenticeships in eight months? Gazing silently at Renny, I suddenly felt sorry for him. Where would he go if I turned him down?

“Renton,” I said. “Would you please go the cafeteria and get coffee for your father and me? Is coffee alright, Uncle?”

My uncle nodded assent and Renny got up, meeting my eyes for just the second time. He was glad to escape the room but wary, knowing he was being sent out so we could discuss him. When he was gone I candidly asked, “What’s the boy’s problem? Four failed apprenticeships? Can’t he stick to anything?”

Steven Worrell spoke up for the first time. “He was always very creative in his schoolwork. I think he needs a challenge.”

“And nothing he’s tried until now has provided that challenge?” Uncle Haddon was looking a bit uncomfortable. This wasn’t going quite the way he’d planned. In the end he knew I would have to take his son, a word to Derek or Egan or my father would ensure that. I could tell by the slightly sour expression on his face that he was wondering why I would drag all this up. When none of the conferees moved to answer my question, I asked another one. “Tell me, is the Guard truly his idea?”

“Yes, it is,” Haddon replied, steepling his hands on the table.

“Were the other apprenticeships also his idea?”

There was a brief silence, then Haddon said, “No. He agreed to what we thought best, of course. We wanted him in business, and thought it best for him to remain with his cadre. After ten years he would be able to return to Lachappelle with a wealth of agricultural knowledge.”

“Renny is a bit of a jack of all trades,” Worrell put in. “He shows an aptitude for most everything, but doesn’t settle in to any one thing. At the time he completed Basic, he hadn’t declared an interest.” I found myself liking my cousin’s former teacher; out of the three men in front of me, he seemed to have the best opinion of Renny.

“That’s right,” my uncle continued. “So we declared for him.”

Perhaps there was hope for the boy after all. We continued the discussion of Renny’s strengths and weaknesses, then about ten minutes after he’d left, my cousin returned with the coffee.

“If you don’t mind, gentlemen, I should like a word alone with Renton before I make my decision.”

“By all means.” Haddon left the room and the wall screen blackened.

I gazed at the boy silently. Renny uncomfortably stared at the table. “Cousin,” I said, and the kid looked up. “I’m told it was your idea to join the Guard.”

“Yes, sir.” For the first time that afternoon there was a spark in his eyes.

“How long has it been your ambition?”

“Always, sir. For as long as I can remember.”

“Then why not join up straight out of Basic?”

“Father wanted me in business. Agriculture.”

I regarded my cousin sternly. “Are you always disobedient?”

“Sir?”

“Do you make a habit of thwarting the will of your elders?”

“No, sir!” The boy’s eyes were open wide in alarm and confusion.

“But four times you began an apprenticeship and deliberately set out to fail. It was deliberate, was it not?”

A brief silence. “Yes, sir.” Renny again contemplated the table top.

“Setting out to fail at something your elders deemed best for you – that’s disobedient, is it not? And not once or twice, but four times. That would seem to have become a habit.”

“Yes, sir.” Very quiet.

“Why?” No response. In a harsher voice I repeated the question. “Why?”

Renny suddenly raised his head and spoke angrily. “How would you like to leave the Guard and be a pencil-pusher! Or plant orchards all your life and conduct studies on the fungi and bugs that infest them! I don’t plan on it. Even if it means failing four times!”

I wasn’t displeased with this response; just the opposite, in fact. But for forms’ sake I said, “Tell me, Renton, did your previous masters thrash you when you used such a tone with them?”

“Um... yes, sir. I’m sorry, sir.”

“Very well. Please ask your father to rejoin us.”

Undoubtedly thinking he was about to be rejected, Renny slowly stood and pushed his chair away from the table.

“One more thing. You were whipped before coming here. Why? To make you come?”

Renny flushed. “No, sir, I wanted to come. It was... it was something I said. My father says I have a smart mouth.”

“Yes, I seem to remember that about you.” I gestured to the door. When we were all reseated and the viewscreen again showed our long-distance guests, I said, “I have decided to accept Renton.” The relief on everyone’s faces was almost comical, but I remained solemn. “Mr. Gaines, Mr. Worrell, I thank you for your time and input.” As the viewscreen darkened again to the sounds of their farewells, I turned to my uncle. “I’ll take Renny as my apprentice, but I won’t allow him to quit. I want that understood. When _The Defiant_ is three lightyears away, I can’t turn around because some spoiled brat wants to go home. If he has an attitude or tries any stunts like he did to get out of his other apprenticeships, I’ll thrash him, but I won’t release him.” Looking from my uncle to my cousin, I asked, “Is that understood?”

That was agreeable to them. Uncle Haddon took a gold ring from his left hand and gave it to me. Thin tendrils of metal woven in an elaborate design, it had the name Renton Michael Lycan inscribed on the inside. The ring symbolized the transfer of guardianship for Renny. When the boy attained the age of majority the ring would be resized and given to him, and he would have the right to speak for himself. I in turn gave Renny a ring, gold as all the Lycan rings are, with the Lycan crest engraved in miniature. It meant, in effect, he was now mine. I could do with him as I pleased. The ring also functioned as a message to outsiders; this person was under the protection of the Lycans. Mess with him and you’ll bring down on yourself the wrath of the Lycans. After the exchange of rings my uncle had given his son a handshake goodbye accompanied by an admonishment to behave and do well, then we had parted ways. Over the ensuing weeks Renny had slowly become a part of the crew.

Now it seemed he was beginning to revert to his shirker ways. Not on my ship. Abruptly I changed course and headed back to crew quarters, meeting Fendi on his way and sending him back to the galley. Renny was my apprentice, I should deal with him. Better to have it out with the boy rather than force the crew to put up with his behavior indefinitely. Haggis opened the hatch to Renny’s quarters as I approached.

Sure enough, Renny was lounging on his bed, comm in hand, reading. He startled at seeing me and hastily tried to hide it.

“Don’t do that, Renton,” I ordered in disgust. Imagine him trying to conceal his activities. I held out my hand and he slowly surrendered it to me. I examined the title. _The Tax Evasionist, the 31st thrilling adventure of Jack Mason, accountant extraordinaire!_ Great, one of those idiotic Earth novels. I bet the AI wrote them. “The rest of the crew are making preparations for our encounter with _New Horizon_ and you’re in here reading pulp fiction. What do you have to say for yourself?”

To his credit, my young cousin didn’t try to invent an excuse. Evidently finding the middle button of my jacket to be of great interest, as that was what he directed his reply to, he said, “Nothing, sir. I’m sorry, Captain.”

“How do you expect to have a future in the Space Guard if you can’t even rouse a modicum of interest in your duties at a time such as this? We’re days from intercepting New Horizon. This could be your first battle – or one of the largest finds in history.”

Finally raising his eyes to meet mine, he said excitedly, “Yes, sir, that’s what I was thinking. They could be from Earth, Captain! I just... I just wanted to read more about it and kind of forgot the time.”

Holding the comm up so he could see the front illustration of the insipid book, a young man in an ugly 21st century business suit, gun in one hand and calculator in the other, I demanded, “And you think you’ll find clues in here? This rot is scarcely edifying. How many more of these novels do you have?”

“On this ship, sir? I have just... three others. I’ve read them all before, they’re really good. And I have lots more at home.” He faltered as he realized that what was once his home was no longer. “I mean, at Lachappelle.”

“Your parents let you read such nonsense?”

His gaze dropped again. “No, sir.”

“Well, neither shall I.” I took the chip from the comm and the screen went dark. “Give me the others.”

Renny sadly complied, taking the three chips from the bottom of his closet. Such tripe. When he was older I might give them back. Perhaps in another three years. Or ten. Unlike the Torens, we Montaukians protected our children from harmful influences. Ironic, I supposed, since we didn’t seem to have a problem sending them into battle.

“When you’re on duty, I expect you to be on duty, understand?” With that, I took off my jacket, neatly folding it before laying it on his small desk, and removed the belt from around my waist, ignoring the pleading expression in his eyes. I could have sent him to Mr. Concannon, but Renny was my apprentice and more than that, my family. This was one responsibility I didn’t want to foist off on another. “Up.”

Without further prompting Renny stood up then turned around, bending over his bunk and bracing himself with his hands. This wasn’t the first time we’d had to do this since he came aboard, and he knew the routine. We all knew the routine. Forcing memories of my own childhood and apprenticeship away, I did my duty, laying a dozen licks of my belt across his behind. It only took a few stripes before he started to tremble, and when he gave up on using his hands to prop himself up and lowered his chest to the bed, I gave him a moment to adjust to the new position. Then I quickly gave him the rest, the crack of the belt on his uniform pants sounding incredibly loud in the small room. After the twelfth I stepped back and relooped my belt.

My young cousin remained on the bunk, his shoulders shaking as he silently cried. When he realized it was done he slowly rolled over, wincing as his behind met the bunk, shoving himself off it to stand on shaky feet. He offered a damp hand to me and I took it, giving it a firm shake. When I released it, he dragged his right sleeve across his face to dry his tears, while his left hand traveled back to rub the sting out of his behind.

The formalities of master and apprentice over, I was left with a young weepy cousin. I put my jacket back on, careful to get my shirt cuffs just right under the edge of the sleeves, then pulled a handkerchief out of my pocket and handed it to Renny. He accepted it gratefully and daubed his face, but it was too late for his damp jacket.

“Compose yourself, clean yourself up and return to the galley,” I directed, my voice not as harsh as it might have been.

He was still crying too hard to talk, so he gave a jerky nod of his head, biting his lip to gain control of himself. I hesitated, then reached out with one hand and gently freed his lip from his teeth. “Don’t do that,” I said softly.

Renny stilled at my touch. We Lycans didn’t do comfort. We did duty and honor and pride. I could tell he was trying to fit this action of mine into its proper place, and I knew the moment he did. He drew himself up with a deep breath, and managed to say, “Yes, sir,” in a ragged but understandable voice.

“Good lad,” I said, offering just the briefest of smiles. Then I turned and left, confident that my cousin wouldn’t be shirking on duty again any time soon. Time to check on the rest of my ship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These characters come from a harsher world, so their society and discipline is harsher. Never abusive, though, or at least they don't think so. They truly are trying to guide their treasured young people towards success as adults.
> 
> Up next: The Defiant rendezvous's with New Horizon! There will be another chapter or two from Lycan's perspective, then we're back to Jack. Thanks for reading!


	6. Interception

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castor's crew on The Defiant intercepts the ghost ship New Horizon. What will they find when they board?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **New Horizon Colony Ship** | 
> 
> **The Defiant**  
>   
> ---|---  
> Tom, Jack 18, Katy Corwin | **The Cadre:** | **The Crew:**  
> |     | Captain Castor Lycan 25 (mindlinked) |     | Master Engineer Cy Concannon  
>   |   | Kyle Tabor 26 - pilot (mindlinked) |   | Dr. Seka Corea  
> **The Triumph** |   | Marcus Kilian (mindlinked) |   | Kara Reid  
> Captain Egan Lycan |   | Demetri (Demmy) (mindlinked) |   |    
> Commander Robert Meyers |   | Fendi Jayadi 19 (not mindlinked) | **The Apprentices:**  
>   |   |   |     | Renny Lycan 16  
>   | **The Guests:** |   | Tyler 16  
> |  | Caelin Hall 17 |  |   
> |  | Mr. Wright |  |   
  
**Present Day - Castor Lycan, Captain of _The Defiant_**

At last, after four weeks, we intercepted _New Horizon_. At the point when we could turn off the view screen with the satellite's image to actually see the ship from the window, all of us gathered on the bridge to watch. With light from our sun reflecting off it, it appeared as a small white speck in the blackness of space, gradually appearing larger. It was careening end over end and looked completely lost; I knew that was how we must appear in the vastness that is space, a small band of mankind clustered together in metal cans for protection. I felt an intense sadness for it and its inhabitants, and also, by extension, for us, even before we drew close.

"Anyone alive over there, Haggis?" I asked.

The ship conducted its scan then replied, "I detect 23 humans, four of whom are alive and awake. The other 19 are in a cryogenic sleep."

The presence of so many in a cryogenic sleep seemed to confirm that it was a colony ship, but who were the four? And was this actually the original colony ship or a more recent expedition? It could still be a trap. With _The Defiant_ cloaked upon our approach to the ship we were able to get close without fear of being detected. We approached it from the side, and made out the letters N_w _or_iz_n in dull red paint. It was very faint, buffeted by centuries of space dust.

"Let's go around, I want to see all of it before we dock." When we got to the other side we collectively drew in our breath. The other side was gone, smashed into the ship. Bits of debris clung to it where it was still attached. It looked like a great, aging fish, loaded down with barnacles, sea sludge and seaweed trailing after it.

"They weren't kidding when they said, 'ship damaged'," Kara said, awed. "I wonder what happened to it?"

"Looks like a collision," put in Marcus.

"Yes," I agreed. "An asteroid, maybe. We need to stop that spin before docking. Haggis, match velocity with _New Horizon_ and send out drones to stop the spin. I'm going to call _The Triumph_. Whoever is on that ship may not be able to wait the eight days for them to catch us up." The others stayed quiet so I could contact our home ship. “Haggis, call _Triumph_ for me.”

The computer replied via mindlink. _Would you like Egan or the bridge?_

 _Bridge, please._ No reason to leave Commander Meyers out of anything, especially given our new détente.

"Commander Meyers here."

"Lycan on _The Defiant_. Sir, the ship looks like _New Horizon_. It has the markings on the side, and it's clearly in distress. Requesting to make contact and board."

"Let me get the Captain."

There was a moment of silence before both Meyers and my brother were patched in through Haggis.

"Hello, Lieutenant," Egan said.

"Hello, Captain. The ship is damaged and spinning end to end. Haggis detected 23 people on board, 18 cryos and 5 awake. They might need immediate assistance. Requesting permission to stop the spin and board." I frowned at Kyle’s sudden grin. It hadn’t escaped his notice that I was seeking permission after already ordering Haggis to send out drones.

"You don't have room for 23 additional people on _The Defiant_ ," my brother replied.

"No, but we could take the five who are awake, and patch in power if necessary to keep the others in cryo sleep."

I could hear the two of them talking in the background, then Egan came back online. "Very well. Establish contact first and see what assistance can be offered. Leave the cryogenic chambers alone, understand? We will see to them when we get there in eight days. And Castor?"

“Yes, sir?”

“When you get on board, turn off that signal. Who knows who else it’s attracting. Be on your guard.”

"Yes, sir, understood. _Defiant_ out."

Haggis cut off the communication link and all was quiet on the bridge. I keenly felt my brother’s absence in the silence, and for a second wished myself back in his quarters. I shook off the feeling and addressed my crew.

"Kyle, prepare to dock as soon as the spin ends. You and Demetri and I will head over. Dr. Seka, prepare for medical assistance. Tyler and Renny, stand by to shift quarters if we need to. Marcus, you and Kara have the ship." I looked at my bodyguard, wondering if he would be content to stay on _The Defiant_. "Mr. Concannon?" I asked.

"I'll be joining you," he said in no uncertain terms. "I'll gather arms and meet you all in the airlock."

"Very well."

Out of the corner of my eye I caught a small sigh from Caelin’s direction. He and Mr. Wright had been standing by at the edge of the discussion. This was one of those times I wished he was a proper member of my crew, and not just someone to keep an eye on. I gave him a brief nod in passing, and ignored his despondent walk back to his quarters.

I watched from the bridge as Haggis sent out two dozen drones which attached themselves to the ghost ship. Through a series of thrusters, the orientation of New Horizon was slowly stabilized until at last we would be able to dock. The process took an hour. It could have been accomplished in minutes, but the sudden jolt from that would have resulted in injury to its crew and further damage to the ship itself. Kyle brought _The Defiant_ alongside the undamaged side of the ghost ship, and large suction rings went out from _The Defiant_ to envelop one of _New Horizon’s_ airlocks. We each carried spare air tanks slung over our shoulders. With the presence of people on board, the air should be breathable, but we weren't taking any chances. Laser pistols in hand, we crossed to the ghost ship.

  
**..»º*º«..**

The airlock creaked, requiring the efforts of both my cadremates to open. They stood back and I entered first. It was dark and deathly still. Over Mr. Concannon’s objections, I removed my helmet and took a deep breath. Within seconds Haggis analyzed the air I had inhaled and announced silently that the air quality was within acceptable limits.

"The air is good," I said quietly to the others.

Mr. Concannon glared at me for my risk-taking behavior. "Put your helmet back on," he snapped. I shrugged, which wasn't easy to do in a spacesuit, but put it back on.

"Haggis, overlay visuals with scanned schematics of the ship. We don't want to accidentally open a door into a damaged area and find ourselves spaced." In a matter of seconds our helmet visors were overlaid with the ship schematics. Haggis had helpfully marked the damaged areas in red. "Ok, let's proceed."

The airlock opened into a small room in which several ancient spacesuits were stashed. Or rather, two were stashed on hooks against the bulkhead. The others were tossed carelessly on the floor.

"Looks like someone tried to escape in a hurry," Demetri said.

"Or like a kid's messy room," Mr. Concannon countered, with a pointed glance at me. I responded with a slight glare. So I hadn’t been the neatest child growing up. He had to bring it up now?

Leaving the small room we entered a dark corridor. We shone our lights around and saw objects on the floor. _Watch out you don't trip_ , I advised, stooping to pick up one item. A cotton shirt, small. A child’s.

Kyle accidentally kicked something and a ball sailed down the corridor, bouncing against the far bulkhead. _Quiet_ , I hissed. I was getting a strange feeling about this. My light flicked up and I noticed the bulkhead. Graffiti. No, not graffiti. Pictures. Brightly colored. A spaceship circling a planet. And an elephant standing on the planet, equal to it in size. Just then several dim lights came on overhead and we heard a sudden commotion, voices and rapidly approaching feet.

"Begone ye swabs! Nevermore enter these waters or I shall-"

We were never to know what the speaker would do, because the figures turned the corner right then and the words died at the sight of us.

Demmy stifled a laugh, turning it into a cough.

 _It's pirates all right_ , thought Kyle.

It was indeed. Centuries removed from Earth, two lightyears from Montauk, in the deep reaches of space, we were confronted by three pirates, looking like they had come straight from the high seas. Dangerous characters they were, carrying swords, with revolvers at their sides. Two were dressed in colorful rags, with cloth wrapped around their heads, while the tallest had a black felt tri-corner hat, a black eye patch, black shirt and pants. All were in stocking feet. They gaped at us, sword tips lowering to the floor.

 _Kids,_ Kyle thought, _They're all kids._

Two boys and one girl, about 11 or 12 years old. I took off my helmet. "Hello," I said. "Don't be alarmed. I'm Captain Lycan from _The Defiant_ , and these are my crewmates. We picked up your distress signal." Silence. They were scared witless. I continued, "What are your names?"

Still silence. I could feel the mirth from my mindlinked cadremates on the verge of bubbling over, a result of amusement and horror vying for precedence. _Control yourselves,_ I sternly ordered. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Demmy flinch. I guess I'd thought more strongly than I'd intended. But I didn't apologize, the reprimand was appropriate.

I took a step forward and the two younger kids turned and fled. Abandoned, the one with the hat bravely stood his ground. The stick that was his sword clattered to the floor. With one hand he removed his hat, revealing copper-colored hair, and with the other he pulled off the eye patch. Hands at his side, with a composure that I greatly admired because it was obviously doing battle with the fear in his eyes, he said, "We were just... just playing. I'm Trey Corwin. I sent the signal." His words were heavily accented but understandable. He watched us uncertainly, unsure of what to do with us now that we had shown up. He stood lightly on the balls of his feet, ready to bolt.

"I'm pleased to meet you, Trey Corwin. Who's in charge? Who speaks for you?"

"Um... I'm in charge."

"Any adults on board?"

"Well, the sleeping ones. But they don't say anything."

A snort from my left. _Quiet!_ I yelled inside my head, and was pleased to see my cadremates both involuntarily raise a hand to their heads.

The boy looked at them wonderingly, then turned back to the matter at hand. "There's also Aunt Kate, but she's... she's... old."

Good. An adult. "I should like to meet her."

"Okay. Um, she's probably in her room." He headed back the way he'd come, walking sideways so he could still look at us.

"Who are the other kids?" I asked, mostly to make conversation.

"My brother Austin and sister Kelly."

"Are your parents sleeping?" I asked, using his euphemism for the cryos.

"They're dead. I sent the signal two months ago when Dad died."

We reached the end of another corridor and entered a large room. Trey seemed embarrassed at the mess. He kicked discarded toys, clothes, and remnants of meals out of the way as we progressed. "I guess we've kind of let things go since..."

"It's quite all right."

In the far corner of the room was a door leading to a tiny room, partitioned off from the rest by a heavy curtain. The boy held up a hand to stay us, then poked his head in. "Aunt Kate?"

"Yes, dear," came an elderly voice. "Have you come to sit with me?"

"No, Aunt. Some people want to talk to you."

"Is it Tom? Has he come back? I was just talking to him and..."

"Dad died, remember? These are new people."

"New people?" They heard movement, then the face of an elderly woman appeared, looking apprehensively at them. She appeared to be in her 70's, frail and stooped, her eyes glassy and confused. Most of her body remained hidden behind the door as she peered out at us.

"Aunt, this is Captain..." Abashed, the boy looked to me.

"Lycan. Captain Lycan."

"Yes, Captain Lycan. This is Aunt Kate."

"Hello Aunt Kate," I said softly. I introduced my officers, wondering if I should bother, if she would remember.

“Hello," she said tentatively, then withdrew into the room. "I just don't know," we heard her say. "I had my shoes. Where are my shoes?"

"You're wearing your shoes," Trey said. "It's your socks you're without."

"Well, I had my shoes and..."

We wouldn't get very far with her. I stepped back and beckoned to Trey. Away from the door I inquired, "Who, among the sleepers, would be in charge?"

Trey's eyes brightened. This was evidently something he knew. "My dad said that Jack Corwin will be in charge when he wakes up. He's an officer."

"That's fine, Trey." I turned to my crew. "Let's split up and search the ship. Mr. Concannon, can you kill the signal? Trey, would you accompany me?"

"Okay," the boy said.

Mr. Concannon wasn’t as eager to go along with my suggestion as the boy had been. I tried not to let the steel in his gaze make me shiver, and held my ground until he left my side to seek out the source of the signal that had brought us to the rescue.

 _Which direction to the cryo chambers?_ I asked Haggis.

 _Keep straight, then take two lefts and a right_ , came the reply a moment later. I headed us in that direction.

"How old are you, Trey?"

"Twelve."

"And the others?"

"Austin is ten and Kelly is nine. Can I see your ship?"

"Perhaps later."

"What's it called? _The Defiant_?"

"Yes."

"Where'd you come from? Are you from Earth? Is it a big ship? How many others are aboard? Are there any kids?" All these questions and we were still in the corridor approaching the first of three cryo rooms.

"There'll be plenty of time for questions later," I said, hoping to deflect him. _Not a word about our ship, Montauk, Toren, Earth, any of it,_ I warned Kyle and Demmy. _Not until we've spoken to this Jack Corwin._

 _Righto_ they both replied.

The UNSC _New Horizon_ had three cryogenic chamber rooms. The first one we came to was dark and quiet except for a soft buzz that came from a few of the chambers themselves.

Trey hung back. "I'll wait here," he said from the hatchway.

I was about to insist until I saw his fright. "Very well," I acquiesced.  I walked slowly through the room taking note of the chambers. Some were open and empty while others were sealed shut but silent. I silently read the names, which Haggis then matched against the manifest.

I went into the second cryo room, this time accompanied by the boy. All of its chambers stood open and empty, and Trey seemed to have an easy familiarity with this room. Whatever had happened in this room must have happened long ago, before his time.

“See,” he said, pointing to a hand-lettered sign on the wall next to the hatch.

**_Let it be known that the brave explorers listed below were the first to sacrifice._ **

And fastened to the door in neat rows were the name plates taken from the 50 cryogenic chambers of those who had died. The sight caught my breath. My eyes razed across the plates, taking them all in. Captain-Major Entero Monteiro, Captain Jonathan Creswood, First Lieutenant Su Chen, Second Lieutenant Susan Lipinski, Edgar Bailey, Diane Hernandez... the list went on. Fifty names in all. "Do you know what they died of? Did your father ever say?"

Trey gave me an incredulous look as if he expected me to already know the answer. "The malfunction 58 years ago. The computer glitched or something and the power was shut down to most of the ship, including the cryo rooms. Most of them thawed and just died, but a few of them, when the power came on again right away it triggered the warming process. But, I think it happened two times."

"Two times?"

"Yeah. I think it was a coupla weeks apart, but I'm not sure. And then last month my Aunt Kate-" he broke off and bit his lip, glancing up at me sideways.

“Then your Aunt Kate-?”

“Oh, nothing. Never mind.”

I paused, placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder, halting his own progress. “Tell me. What about your Aunt Kate?”

Looking very guilty, Trey swallowed and looked around. “I can’t say.”

“Why not?”

“Cos... it’s not her fault. She doesn’t know what she’s doing anymore.” He looked back over his shoulder as if expecting the elderly woman to jump out at him. “And I don’t want anything to happen to her.”

My curiosity roused, I promised, “Nothing will happen to her.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

Trey leaned in close and whispered, “She- she cut the power on a bunch of the chambers in that other room. I didn’t find out til it was too late to save them.”

I froze. The idea of that frail woman sending unsuspecting people to their deaths... “Why? On purpose?”

“The ship’s breaking down, and- and she wanted Jack to be safe. The others were taking too much energy.”

I relayed this information to Haggis and my crew via mindlink, then started walking the boy and myself slowly towards the last cryo room. This was all too horrific, and I needed a moment to sort my thoughts.

Trey’s countenance became less troubled, and I asked, "This is where Jack Corwin is?"

"Yeah."

"Yes, sir," I corrected automatically. He looked up at me quizzically but said nothing. A soft buzz emanated from this room, and after the dead stillness of the last room, I thought what a tremendous difference that small noise made that signified life. Inside the room, nine chambers were sealed tight. Four chambers were empty yet still held their nameplates - the survivors of the power malfunction. Kathryn Corwin, Timothy Harris, Victoria Paquette, and lastly, Thomas Corwin. _Any relation between Kathryn, Thomas, and Jack Corwin, Haggis?_

 _Yes,_ came the reply, _siblings._

Aha. So Tom and Kathryn - Aunt Kate – lived, along with two others, and some combination of them had children while Jack remained in cryogenic sleep. This was becoming trickier by the minute. Trey had run ahead of me into the room and was sitting atop one of the chambers. Jack's, of course. "This is Jack’s!" he announced as I drew near.

"So I see," I replied, glancing at the nameplate which read ‘Jack Corwin’. _I'm going to start the warming process for Jack Corwin_ , I told the others. "Time to awaken him." I reached for the controls along the back.

"Wait a minute!" Trey said, jumping off the top of the chamber as he saw what I was about to do. "I get to do it!"

I looked at the boy in surprise. I couldn't remember the last time someone younger than myself, other than cadremates, of course, had dared to contradict me.

He must have seen a warning in my eyes, for he stepped back and faltered, "He's my uncle... and I've been waiting all my life..."

The boy did have a point. He didn't have any manners, but he did have a point. "Very well, you press the button," I conceded a bit ungraciously. Suddenly he was on the verge of tears, and I realized I had done him a great wrong. I had stolen his joy. I pulled him to my chest in a silent embrace, and then he was crying.

 _What's going on?_ asked Demmy, sensing my emotional reaction to Trey. _Tears from the boy,_ I replied. _He'll be ok. Find the other two children and send them to us in the cryo room. Give us 10 minutes first._ I held Trey lightly several quiet moments until he had finished crying.

He pulled away and brushed at his tears. "I'm sorry," he said.

"No, it is I who am sorry. Forgive me for stealing your joy in being the one to awaken your relative. Your siblings will be along in a moment to watch."

By the time the other two children had gathered in the cryo room, Trey was once again composed, albeit with slightly reddened eyes. He grinned at everyone, then reverently flipped the three switches that would in two and a half hours’ time bring Jack to life once again. The kids gazed steadily at the smooth silver cover as if expecting it to rise suddenly and their uncle to appear.

"It will be a few hours. Why don't you all go see to your Aunt Kate?" That suggestion brought three frowns.

"I'm staying here," Trey stated obstinately. The others immediately echoed his sentiments and seemed to dig their feet into the floor.

 _Do you want us, Captain?_ asked Kyle, monitoring the situation through my eyes.

 _No. We’ll let them remain for the next two hours. Half an hour before the process is complete I want them removed. I don't want to overload Jack with too much information at once._ Out loud, I told the kids they could stay for the time being. While they occupied themselves in a corner, I gave out further instructions. _Haggis, ask Dr. Seka to come over as soon as it’s set up. And Haggis? Tell Caelin and Mr. Wright to remain in their quarters, and monitor their whereabouts. Notify me if they leave._

 

**..»º*º«..**

Well, that seems like a good stopping point! Up next, Castor and Jack are together again, as Jack is awakened. Thanks for reading! 


	7. All caught up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gets us caught up to the present day - present day being in the year 2432, of course! In this chapter we hear more about Caelin and what he's doing on the ship, then meet up with Jack again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter starts with Castor awaiting Jack's waking up from cryo sleep. The events of the first few chapters then happen in the background while we hear from Caelin. Then at the end with Jack we are all caught up to the present day.
> 
> **New Horizon Colony Ship** | 
> 
> **The Defiant**  
>   
> ---|---  
> Tom, Jack 18, Katy Corwin | **The Cadre:** | **The Crew:**  
> Trey 12, Austin 10, Kelly Corwin 9 |     | Captain Castor Lycan 25 (mindlinked) |     | Master Engineer Cy Concannon  
>   |   | Kyle Tabor 26 - pilot (mindlinked) |   | Dr. Seka Corea  
> **The Triumph** |   | Marcus Kilian (mindlinked) |   | Kara Reid  
> Captain Egan Lycan |   | Demetri (Demmy) (mindlinked) |   |    
> Commander Robert Meyers |   | Fendi Jayadi 19 (not mindlinked) | **The Apprentices:**  
>   |   |   |     | Renny Lycan 16  
>   | **The Guests:** |   | Tyler 16  
> |  | Caelin Hall 17 |  |   
> |  | Mr. Wright |  |   
  
**Castor Lycan**  
  
A couple of hours had passed and Jack's chamber was nearly set to open. In the dimly lit cryo room, Dr. Seka, Kyle and I waited anxiously beside his chamber. I looked again at the small plaque at the end of the chamber which identified the occupant as one Lieutenant Jack Corwin. It had been an effort to get the three kids out of the room. Trey especially had wanted to wait and greet his uncle, but finally left when I explained that we didn’t want to confuse Jack with too many people around at the beginning. The growl from Mr. Concannon probably helped as well, and in short order he had escorted the children from the room.

"Look, Captain," Kyle said in an urgent, hushed tone, at the first sign of stirring from Jack.

"Thank you, I see." It was a tremendous disappointment to see Jack when we finally opened the lid to the chamber, for he was scarcely more than a boy, surely no older than Fendi. He was definitely too young to speak for himself. This meant we'd have to awaken another who had the authority to make decisions for all the survivors. I’d wait for my brother’s ship this time, and let him decide. I’d already gone against his orders by awakening Jack, and that had been pointless. Rather than tempt fate a second time, I’d let Egan or Commander Meyers make that decision.

After brief introductions that, going by the haze in Jack’s eyes, would be soon forgotten, the teen in the cryo chamber soon fell back to sleep, and I headed down to engineering.

"What's the situation?"  

Mr. Concannon was crouched by an open panel in the floor. He stood and cleared his throat. "It's very primitive, Captain. And it's poxed, rotted away. Looks like some attempts at repair were made after the encounter with the asteroid, but it could quit at any time."

"What can be done?"

"Several options. First..."

My thoughts drifted as my engineer laid out the options. There weren’t many and they weren’t good. The ship's drive was inoperable, which meant that its inhabitants would have drifted endlessly in space had their emergency signal not been picked up. The power was being supplied by back-up systems that looked ready to quit at any moment.

Kyle’s thoughts broke into mine at one point, and Mr. Concannon, recognizing the signs that I was conversing with someone via mindlink, patiently waited for me to finish.

 _Jack is awake again_ , Kyle informed me. _Dr. Seka and I are with him._

 _Oh?_ I tried to project a tone of interest in my reply, but really, at this point Jack was more of a distraction. _How is he?_

_Better, more energetic. We’ll get him cleaned up and fed, then I suppose you’ll want to talk to him again?_

_Yes, I will._ Not really. _Let me know when he’s ready, and we’ll meet you up on the bridge._

_Righto._

The presence of the mindlink faded as Kyle’s attention turned back to Jack, and I gave my attention back to Mr. Concannon.

“So, will it hold out until _Triumph_ arrives?”

“It should.” Mr. Concannon gave me a rueful smile and half-shrug. “It’s lasted centuries, what’s one more week?”

“If the power fails we can always take the survivors to _The Defiant_ and run electricity back for the cryos.”

“Aye, we still have room for half a dozen on _Defiant_. Just so there aren’t more.”

  
**Caelin Hall**

I’d been in my quarters ever since Captain Lycan and the others went over to the ghost ship, and now came yet another order to remain. Haggis passed the order on to me and Mr. Wright, and I struggled not to let my annoyance show. My guard and I had adjoining quarters with a small door between the two rooms. Most of the time we kept the doors to the rest of the crew’s living quarters shut, and the door between our quarters open. This gave us a measure of privacy from the crew and increased the space available to us. More than once I found myself wishing the door between our quarters was kept shut too. The first day aboard I had closed it, only to find it opened again a moment later and a scowling Mr. Wright ordering me to keep it that way. Safety concerns. I was 17. I didn’t want to spend all my waking and sleeping time with my 46 year-old guardian, but I didn’t have any choice.

“Did you get that?” Mr. Wright called to me from inside his own room.

“Yes, Mr. Wright,” I huffed, rolling my eyes, glad he was out of sight around the corner.

I was studying one of my texts on my bunk. Sort of studying, when my thoughts weren’t drifting to my situation and future. The way Captain Lycan let me attend rotations like the apprentices in his crew and made sure I was learning gave me hope that I would be allowed to take the certification exams someday. He hadn’t said and I was afraid to ask, but I secretly held out hope. Surely the Captain would allow it? He had allowed me on board with his crew, and allowed me to learn alongside his apprentices. Surely he would let me follow through and take the exams to prove I was learning? Even if I wasn’t in the Guard? Even if... I bit my lip and turned back to my studies, unwilling to follow that thought.

I heard approaching steps from Mr. Wright’s room and a moment later he appeared in the doorway. “What was that I detected in your voice, Caelin?”

Annoyance. Lots and lots of annoyance, with a touch of jealousy and longing. “Sir?” I asked, feigning ignorance.

Mr. Wright had only been with me for half a year, ever since I left home, but he already knew me very well and he wasn’t fooled now. With narrowed eyes he let his hands drift down to his waist, where his thumbs hooked all too casually inside the leather of his belt. “Watch yourself.”

“Yes, Mr. Wright,” I said, hoping all annoyance and cheek had left my voice and face.

There was silence until he gave a nod of acceptance and retreated back into his own quarters. I let my breath out silently in relief. Mr. Wright had been appointed by my parents. He was my bodyguard, but had also been tasked with my well-being. He seemed to think that meant keeping me from antagonizing the Captain or anyone else on the crew. I was barely allowed to have an opinion and if I did, I definitely wasn’t supposed to share it outside our quarters. And negative emotions? Anger? Annoyance? Sadness? I wasn’t allowed those. My guard clamped down hard on anything the Captain might take exception to. I’d argued at first. There were bigger circumstances at play here, and the Captain wasn’t going to order me executed just because I was in a bad mood. Mr. Wright didn’t care for that argument, however, and in the end, because he was set in authority over me, I gave in.

If I’d been at home on Toren I would have just begun my apprenticeship in my family’s business. It’s what I had always expected; I’d never considered any other options because I’d always known there was no choice in the matter. I had an older sister and brother, and a younger sister. My older siblings were already firmly ensconced in their own apprenticeships, and my younger sister was considered too young to leave home. So when my idiotic cousin Ron, the previous surety, made a runner and got himself shot, I was apparently the next most logical choice to go live with our enemies. Lucky me.

It had been surprisingly... not bad so far. The hand-off was conducted on Kessel Station, when I was transferred from my family’s custody into that of the Lycans. I was on the station for a couple of weeks while they scrambled to decide what to do with me. I was younger than cousin Ron and although I was done with Basic, they didn’t want to just turn me loose like they had Ron. “Loose” being a relative term. Ron was in his 30s and had decided that his stint as surety would be spent partying and living the high life. I could somewhat understand his actions. If our family was going to tear him away from his life and give him up to the enemy, why should he bother working or doing anything useful? After 8 years of it, though, I guess it got to be too much. He made a run for freedom and was taken down.

I didn’t want to spend my life partying or doing nothing. There was no saying how long I would be the surety, and no knowing if I would ever be relieved from it, but I held out hope. It had been a rapid transition for me, from my old life to this one. I had been on vacation at the beach with my mother and younger sister. I had completed Basic two weeks prior, and had two blissful months off before starting my apprenticeship. Then the word came about cousin Ron, and suddenly my life was over. I was whisked back to our family estate where my belongings had already been packed, then the next day I was introduced to Mr. Wright and sent off to Kessel Station. I hadn’t even had a chance to say goodbye to my older brother and sister or my father.

Mr. Wright wasn’t awful. He was never more than an arm’s length away from me on Kessel Station, and had run interference for me with some grungy spacer types on several occasions. He just insisted on obedience from me. That wasn’t unreasonable or unexpected. Until I was of age I was answerable to someone – teachers, parents, masters. However, it was compounded now by the expectations of being the surety. It added a whole layer of fear and caution to everyday life and made everything slightly unpleasant and sad. My guardian was determined I should do nothing to endanger myself and had quickly instituted the practice of whipping off his belt to give me two or three whacks to keep me in line. If I kept to his exacting standards, however, he could be pretty decent. I knew we’d never be friends, but I had come to trust him, and at times his presence was comforting.

During the weeks of limbo on the space station I spent a lot of time watching the ships come and go. Mr. Wright kept me away from the merchant ships and their crews, being of the opinion that half of them were pirates. I was allowed to tour some of the ships, though. I wasn’t a stranger to space ships, and knowing that taking up my family’s business was never going to be a possibility now – I tentatively asked if it would be possible for me to serve aboard a ship. More scrambling and discussions, and I was given to Egan Lycan on _The Triumph_. He promptly turned me over to his younger brother, saying I would fit in with his younger crew. And I had so far. The formality found on _The Triumph_ was lessened on _The Defiant_ , and the captain and his crew were great. Tyler and I were sort-of friends, and Renny too when he came aboard. And Castor, he of everyone seemed to understand my position, and wasn’t consigning me to a life of nothingness. It was just awkward sometimes, like now, when the actual crew had duties to perform and I was sent to my quarters to wait it out. Stay out of the way, and don’t be a security risk. I turned back to my studies, determined to learn everything I could. I would show the Captain that efforts invested in me weren’t going to waste.

Renny brought food for Mr. Wright and me and hung out a while to keep me company. We listened to music (which caused my guardian to close the door!) and played cards but eventually he said he had to get back to work. With an apologetic glance, he left again.

When all was quiet, the door between our rooms opened again. Mr. Wright stepped in, looking around to make sure all was well, then stopped at my grin. Interpreting it correctly, he returned it, but commented, “No, playing music will _not_ always result in the door being closed.”

“Aww-”

Looking towards the door that Renny had exited from, he continued, “Only when it’s that blasted techno crap that he likes.”

I laughed, crossing my legs under me on my bed and dragging my book out from where it had gotten stuffed under my pillow. “You’re safe then, Mr. Wright. I don’t really care for that old Earth music either.”

My guardian chuckled and returned to his own quarters.

No sooner had I begun studying again then a call came from Haggis to report to the ghost ship. “Really?” I asked, bounding out of bed.

Mr. Wright appeared a moment later, already pulling on his jacket. “Well? What are you waiting for? Let’s go!”

 

**Jack Corwin – present**

Three children stood in front of me, and I froze when I realized I didn’t recognize them from the colonists of _New Horizon_. I’d spent a couple of years with the crew and their children and knew practically everyone. I knew the children better than their parents, since I’d been counted one of them until recently. Now I was facing strangers, two boys and a girl. Their features looked oddly familiar, like I should know them, but I didn’t. They had copper colored hair not unlike my own. The oldest boy’s was darkest, and he had a narrow face and intelligent eyes above a straight nose. The middle child, a boy, had slightly lighter hair that curled somewhat, and more of a pug nose. The youngest, a girl, stood closely beside the others. Her hair was long, almost to her waist, and ran more to gold.

After a shocked silence, a huge grin spread on the face of the older boy and he ran over to grab me around the middle in a hug. “Uncle Jack!”

I had let my arms wrap around him automatically, but at his exclamation I pulled back slightly, holding him at arm’s length to get a look at him. “Who are you?”

“Trey! I’m your nephew!” He gestured backwards without looking. “And that’s Austin and Kelly.” He threw himself back into my arms, squeezing the life out of me. “We’ve been waiting for you for so long.”

I looked at Caelin and Mr. Wright over his head, but they both looked as confused as I was. Caelin shrugged slightly.

“Where’d you come from?” I asked.

“Here, duh!” Trey replied, laughing. “We’ve always been here! Austin! Kelly! Come over and say ‘hi’.”

The other two slowly made their way closer, and when it appeared I wasn’t going to bite, joined Trey in wrapping themselves around my middle.

“Do you have- are your parents- who are your parents?”

“Tom was our dad, but he died, and Stephanie was our mom, but she died too.”

“Stephanie?”

“Yeah, did you know her?” Trey finally released me, stepping back to see me.

Did I know her? “Yes, I do. I did. She’s my-” I stopped, taking a deep breath to stall for time. How could I tell these kids their mom was my girlfriend and we were planning to get married? What had happened? Tom? How could my brother have had kids with my girlfriend? My voice suddenly hoarse, I said, “We were good friends. I bet- I bet she was a great mom.”

“She was,” Trey said, and the younger kids clung to me even tighter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are still here and reading... congrats and thank you! Sorry for all the back and forth confusion with time. I think if I rewrite this I'll make the first few chapters much more linear. Anyway, it will be much more straightforward from this point on, so hopefully won't be as confusing!
> 
> Also, I decided to give more of Caelin's back story in this chapter, but what being the 'surety' means, and all its ramifications, I'm leaving for when Jack learns about it :)


	8. Discovery in the Cargo Bay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Colony ship survivor Jack goes in search of his sister Katy, while Captain Castor Lycan explores the cargo bays with Kyle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **New Horizon Colony Ship** | 
> 
> **The Defiant**  
>   
> ---|---  
> Tom, Jack 18, Katy Corwin | **The Cadre:** | **The Crew:**  
> Trey 12, Austin 10, Kelly Corwin 9 |     | Captain Castor Lycan 25 (mindlinked) |     | Master Engineer Cy Concannon  
>   |   | Kyle Tabor 26 - pilot (mindlinked) |   | Dr. Seka Corea  
> **The Triumph** |   | Marcus Kilian (mindlinked) |   | Kara Reid  
> Captain Egan Lycan |   | Demetri (Demmy) (mindlinked) |   |    
> Commander Robert Meyers |   | Fendi Jayadi 19 (not mindlinked) | **The Apprentices:**  
>   |   |   |     | Renny Lycan 16  
>   | **The Guests:** |   | Tyler 16  
> |  | Caelin Hall 17 |  |   
> |  | Mr. Wright |  |   
  
**Captain Castor Lycan**

I congratulated myself on my brilliant idea to have Caelin entertain my mistake, Jack. It gave Caelin something useful to do and gave me time to look around the ghost ship unencumbered. We had ditched our spacesuits at the earliest opportunity and relied on the schematics our ship’s computer Haggis had put together and displayed to our mind’s eyes, to those of us who were mindlinked at least. The schematics were a result of diagrams lifted from _New Horizon’s_ ancient computer combined with the scans Haggis had conducted. I felt about 99% comfortable relying on them, but there was still the 1% of me that expected to open a door and find myself facing the open vacuum of space and instant death.

Of particular interest to me were the storage bays. If I were interested in archaeology at all I might be interested to see what ancient people thought might be useful in starting a colony on a new planet. I wasn’t very interested in archaeology, however, so my interests were more of the scavenging variety, mostly for the sake of curiosity. Empty ships in space were available for scavenge to the first ship that came across them. Ships with survivors, that was a different matter entirely. The ship belonged to the people on board. This ship, however, was complicated, since the governing body that launched it was no longer in existence. That was a matter for the courts – I just wanted to see what the ship held!

“Let’s explore,” I said to Kyle. “This way.”

Kyle followed me to the lower level of _New Horizon_ , which Haggis had informed us held the storage bays. Numerous signs on the walls also pointed out that fact. The first bay looked ransacked, most likely by Tom and Kathryn and the others who had survived. Crates were open, their contents spilling out. After decades of survivors using the supplies, it was a wonder any of the crates were intact.

Pawing through one, Kyle held up an article of clothing. “At least we know where the pirate costumes came from.”

“Indeed.” I looked around the room in distaste. “Is this all clothing?” Ratty old 400 year-old clothes. They were probably all like that hideous one-piece thing Jack had awakened in. Wonderful. Oh well, it wasn’t like I was ever going to need any of it for my own personal use. Still, seeing such awful things on others was an assault to the senses nearly as bad.

I brushed dust off my black jacket sleeve and promptly sneezed. Fastidiously I withdrew a handkerchief from my pocket and wiped off my hands, happy in the knowledge that the white cloth was disinfecting my skin. Kyle, watching my movement, dropped the article he had been examining back onto the pile and said, “I can finish up here if you like.” He grinned, “You can go somewhere less dusty.”

“Shut up,” I said without heat. There were few who would take a chance on bantering with me, and my oldest friend was one of them. “There might still be something interesting. Let’s check the next bay.”

The next room was twice as large and held what appeared to be disassembled tractors and farming equipment and tools. That was slightly more interesting. I had paid enough attention in my lessons growing up to learn that knowledge was often lost over time. Not information committed to books, but the how-to knowledge of daily life – techniques and equipment. There were probably academic and manufacturing types who would love to get their hands on this cargo and determine exactly how it all worked. In the process they would find out if anything was still useful, or hopefully represented a forgotten way of doing something that would make life easier.

The other bays were similar, holding equipment which would allow a settlement to spring up overnight. Nothing terribly important, but interesting. Nothing that needed my immediate attention or that would be missed if _New Horizon_ finally gave out and was lost, ship and cargo and all. My friend and I got quieter the further we went, and eventually we were just mindspeaking. Words were an effort and were just too loud in the silent caverns in which we found ourselves. Practically speaking, it also allowed us to communicate from opposite sides of the room without shouting.

 _One more bay_ , Kyle thought. _Is it even worth looking?_

I straightened up from a crate of odd little machines whose use I had yet to determine and stretched. _There’s only one more. Let’s finish up then see what everyone else is up to._ _Besides, then we won’t have to return._ We’d spent a couple of hours traipsing through the maze-like bays. If not for the schematics in our minds, we would probably get lost going out. Last thing I wanted to do was come back!

Kyle returned my tired smile and we proceeded to the last storage bay. Unlike the others, this one thrummed with the low sound of electricity.

 _That’s curious_ , I thought. _I wonder..._

_More cryo chambers?_

_Why would they be all the way back here away from the others? I don’t see any chambers._ In the far corner of the room, protected by numerous other crates, was the source of the hum _. Back there,_ I thought, pointing. _Let’s check it out._

**Jack Corwin**

I was an uncle. I never had an uncle, and now I was one. I expected to be one in the future, the far future, long after we had helped to colonize a new planet. All of the colonists of child-bearing age were expected to procreate at some point. Stephanie and I had been in the in-between age for the several years of our training, starting out firmly in the ‘offspring of useful people’ category, and slowly advancing through age and training into the ‘look, you’re almost useful now!’ category, which was closed allied in my mind with the ‘get busy and make babies so the colony can survive until the next ship comes’ category. I had no problem with that last one. Stephanie and I had been looking forward to that last one. We had been practicing. A lot. We took care not to actually conceive a child before launch, though. It wasn’t known what effect cryogenic sleep would have on a developing fetus or a newborn, so it was highly advised to wait. Stephanie, Stephanie...

I couldn’t bear to think of Tom and Stephanie together that way. Why did Tom have to go after MY girlfriend? Did he wake her up for that express purpose? ‘Oh hey, looks like I’m going to be alone on this ship awhile, might as well find myself a girl. Jack’s girl, she’s cute.’ I shook my head, knowing it couldn’t have gone down like that. Tom would have died alone, lived out his life on the ship and died alone, rather than do that to Stephanie or any other girl. Or to me. No, they must have both awakened during the malfunctions. How long after that did it take them to get together? Did Tom wait a whole week even before going after her? I wanted to fume and stomp around and kick the bulkhead a few dozen times, but the presence of the three shy children who had latched onto me stopped me.

My niece and nephews had been hugging me for a long while, and finally I tightened my arms in a squeeze to signal that the embrace was about to end, then I stepped back. The boys understood the message, but the girl – what was her name? – she stepped forward to stay with me. I looked down at her messy golden hair and smiled despite my anger and grumpiness. Tom and Stephanie had made a beautiful daughter. I looked up at the boys, who were still grinning widely at me, and for a painful second felt like I was looking back in time at Tom and myself.

“How old are you?”

The oldest boy, Trey, said, “I’m 12, and Kelly is 9 and Austin is 10.”

Kelly! That was her name. I patted her back, remembering when my sister Katy had been that small. “Where’s Katy?”

“Aunt Kate?” Trey asked. He seemed to be the designated spokesman for the group. I hadn’t heard a word from the other two yet. He shrugged. “She’s around.”

“I want to see her.”

“Okay.” Another shrug, and the kids took off down the corridor. I followed, and Caelin and his silent companion Mr. Wright followed me.

We ended up in one of the rooms originally intended for living in during the months that _New Horizon_ was to circle the planet prior to descending to the surface. The living quarters were utilitarian and military in nature, not intended for long-term use. This one definitely looked lived in. Its hard edges and lifeless grays were softened by the artful draping of colorful fabrics. One half of the room had bunk beds that folded back, but from appearances it looked like these particular ones remained down for use. They were covered in a smattering of blankets and throw pillows. The walls were covered in drawings, both on paper, and larger murals on the bulkheads themselves.

“Wow,” I said in disbelief as we entered.

The kids apparently interpreted that as a ‘wow’ of delight and admiration. “Isn’t it great?” Trey asked, following my eyes around the room. “Kelly did that one.” He nudged his sister. “Tell him about it, Kells.”

The girl, _my niece_ , shyly reached for one of my hands, and held it as she showed me the most decorated of the surfaces. It held several dozen animals of all types, and in the center was a sign reading ‘Kelly’s Interstellar Zoo’.

“That’s pretty cool,” I admitted. “Did your brothers help at all?”

“I didn’t need help!” she declared, swinging our arms. Austin rolled his eyes while Trey grinned.

“We helped!” Austin countered.

“Maybe a little, but I didn’t need it! You just _took over_!” She leaned forward slightly to emphasize the last two words. I’d have to reconsider the image I’d already formed of her – she was clearly no shrinking violet!

“I did not!”

Trey looked from his siblings to me, his look uncertain. “Um, guys...” Abruptly he changed course from getting the younger children under control to return to the point of our mission. “Uncle Jack? Aunt Kate is usually back there. That’s her space.” He pointed to a smaller room with a curtain drawn to separate it from the larger room.

I walked towards the curtain, afraid to pull it back, scared of what I might find. As I drew near I heard rustling behind it, confirming that my sister was back there. I stopped and took a deep breath. I felt a tiny squeeze on my hand and looked down to see Kelly giving me a small smile of encouragement. Slightly embarrassed to need the comfort of a 9 year-old, but grateful for it all the same, I smiled back and reached out for the curtain.

 

**Castor Lycan**

_What is that?_ Kyle thought.

 _Cold storage_ , I replied. _A freezer_. I started to get excited as I approached. Whatever was inside had been deemed important enough to freeze for centuries.

_Why not just stick it outside the ship? That would keep it frozen._

I tossed a superior look at Kyle. _Seriously? I can’t believe you would suggest that._

Kyle grinned at me, and I heard the laughter in his head. Laughter over mindlink isn’t like hearing laughter out loud. Well, it is if you’re overhearing when the person is actually laughing out loud. But silent laughter over mindlink is more a sense of merriment. The link captures emotions and laughter comes across as a feeling of delight and amusement at the edges of the conversation.

_I’m not serious, I know it wouldn’t work. Need for constant temp and all that._

Not to mention the difference in temperature between space and whatever was being kept in this freezer. _How do we open it?_

We examined the freezer for a few minutes. It wasn’t like the cryogenic chambers with their human cargo. Those practically had a big red button labeled ‘Push Me!’. This large freezer had a keypad at the edge of a huge locking mechanism on the door. Kyle half-heartedly tried a few combinations of numbers, and neither of us were surprised when it didn’t open. Then I found an envelope taped to one side, a plastic-encased piece of paper inside.

“Aha,” I said out loud, pulling it out. “Try this, 42 – 28 – 33 – 7 – 98 – 11 – 54.”

Kyle dutifully punched in the numbers as I read them out. “Why have such a complicated code if you’re just going to tape it to the side?” he muttered as we waited for the lock to do something.

“It had to be accessible to everyone on the ship, just in case.” I shrugged. Interpreting the thoughts of intentions of primitive people living centuries ago wasn’t worth my time.

Finally the lock beeped a few times and the lock on the door disengaged. There was a sucking sound as the seals released and the door opened a fraction. Kyle stood back, giving me the first look. I stepped forward and pulled the door open. Then I yanked on it, then Kyle came and gave me a hand, and after a brief struggle that I was glad went unwitnessed by the rest of my crew, we got the rest of the seals to part and the door swung open. The air inside was so cold that it appeared as frozen mist, and we stepped backwards as a blast of it hit us. Kyle swore and I put a steadying hand on his shoulder.

“We’ll have to suit up and come back,” I said. Neither of us made a further step away, however, our curiosity overcoming the danger of the extreme cold.

“Long as we don’t touch anything-,” Kyle started.

“-and don’t actually go in,” I finished. Sharing a grin, we leaned forwards to look inside.

Hundreds – no, thousands – of drawers. Since I couldn’t open one just yet, I tried to read the labels.

Triticum aestivum, Triticum araraticum, Triticum carthlicum. Different varieties of Triticum took up several shelves. Hordeum arizonicum, Hordeum brachyantherum, Hordeum vulgare. A few dozen or more varieties of Hordeum.

“What is it?” Kyle asked, not being close enough to see what I was reading.

“Wheat, that’s the Triticum. Lots of varieties. Not sure what Hordeum is, probably another grain.”

I turned to look at another wall of drawers, my eyes taking in random labels from all over. I read them out loud. “Equus caballus, Bos, Histrionicus, Thunnus thynnus, Panthera leo... Panthera leo? Lions?”

Kyle and I looked at each other in shock, the meaning of this freezer suddenly apparent. I reached for the diffuser on my collar and activated it. “Not a word to anyone,” I ordered Kyle.

“Yes, sir,” he solemnly said.

“We have to get back to _The Defiant_.”

We closed the freezer door and tested it to make sure that once unlocked, it wouldn’t just open again. No, it required the code. Good. I grabbed the plastic paper and tucked it carefully into my jacket. “Let’s go.”

I was proud of myself, having said that without even a tremor in my voice. I was beyond excited, and more than slightly fearful. With the discovery of the freezer and its contents, this had gone from just a fairly routine rescue mission (well, as routine as rescuing crews from 400 year old ships went) to the greatest find in centuries. It was only a matter of time before other ships descended on _New Horizon_ , eager to salvage it, and when it became known that it held a seed bank – well, I could only hope _The Triumph_ caught up to us before other ships did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, we're into 'new stuff', meaning that while I have most of the plot in my head, it's at the point where it's now easier just to write it new rather than dig through old manuscripts. This means chapters should come out faster now! 
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


	9. Uncomfortable Discussions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack talks to his sister Katy; Castor talks to his brother Egan; Caelin talks to his guardian, who intends to have a 'talk' with him... no one is having much fun today!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look! We have 3rd person now! I'm going to go back and rewrite the earlier chapters in 3rd person too. Also - IMPORTANT! If you've been following the story, you'll notice I changed the characters' names. The cryogenic survivor Andrew is now Jack. The spoiled captain of The Defiant, Alex Locke, is now Castor Lycan. 
> 
> Two main characters with the names Alex and Andy was just too confusing. Sorry for the mid-story change, but I figured it was better to get it done now. Thanks for understanding!
> 
> **New Horizon Colony Ship** | 
> 
> **The Defiant**  
>   
> ---|---  
> Tom, Jack 18, Katy Corwin | **The Cadre:** | **The Crew:**  
> Trey 12, Austin 10, Kelly Corwin 9 |     | Captain Castor Lycan 25 (mindlinked) |     | Master Engineer Cy Concannon  
>   |   | Kyle Tabor 26 - pilot (mindlinked) |   | Dr. Seka Corea  
> **The Triumph** |   | Marcus Kilian (mindlinked) |   | Kara Reid  
> Captain Egan Lycan |   | Demetri (Demmy) (mindlinked) |   |    
> Commander Robert Meyers |   | Fendi Jayadi 19 (not mindlinked) | **The Apprentices:**  
>   |   |   |     | Renny Lycan 16  
>   | **The Guests:** |   | Tyler 16  
> |  | Caelin Hall 17 |  |   
> |  | Mr. Wright |  |   
  
**Jack Corwin**

Jack silently passed through the living quarters of the children and presumably his brother Tom and Stephanie. His nephews and niece trailed not far behind, and bringing up the group were Caelin and his guard (guardian? bodyguard? Jack still wasn’t sure of their relationship). Jack barely took in the disorder of the room as he passed by, merely nudging stray toys to the side with his foot so he could proceed. His thoughts were centered on Katy. She had been the silly, cheerful, adoring little sister, much loved by both her older brothers. Life wasn’t kind to little girls on Earth, and Tom and Jack had both sheltered her as best they could. Jack had a hard time wrapping his mind around the thought that this happy-go-lucky child had been awakened on the colony ship and had lived there her entire life. She had been 14 yesterday, no, not yesterday – at launch. He had glimpsed her only briefly earlier, but she now appeared to be in her 80s. Struck by a sudden thought, Jack glanced back at the children. If Tom, Stephanie, and Katy had awakened at the same time, how was it the children were now so young? If they’d all awakened 60-some years before, the kids would be in their 50s at least and there would likely be grandchildren now. What had happened so long ago on this ship?

While Caelin, Mr. Wright, and the children waited in the larger living quarters, Jack took a deep breath and brushed the curtain to the side, revealing a small room. He couldn’t recall what its original purpose was – there were dozens of places on the ship he didn’t know about – but whatever it was, it was vastly different now. It measured about eight feet by six feet, and a low bed was against the side of the shorter wall. It looked like a bed, but it wasn’t even really a cot. It looked like a pile of blankets covering a series of boxes. Really? That was the best that could be done for his sister? The sight of it made his throat swell suddenly, and he swallowed a few times. He was afraid to look at Katy, but he finally forced himself to stop looking around the room and focus on the elderly woman. She knelt in one corner with her head down, rummaging through a small box with claw-like fingers. Jack swallowed again.

“Katy?”

Her hand paused and she slowly lifted her head to look at the teenager standing awkwardly before her. Her gray hair fell to either side of her face in its natural middle part, and the sight caused a slight smile to form on her brother’s lips. Once when she was eight she had decided she wanted to change the part to the left. She tried for hours, and even enlisted the help of her brothers, but no matter how many barrettes or ribbons they used, the second her hair was free it sprang back into its middle part. “Sorry, Katykins,” Tom had finally said. “Guess you’re stuck with it.” Their little sister had stuck her lower lip out in a pout, but in typical Katy fashion, an hour later she was on a new mission. Jack smiled at the sudden memory, even as it pained him to think of the years wasted on the ship. Maybe they weren’t wasted. Maybe his siblings and Stephanie had had a good life together. His mind touched lightly on the subject of Stephanie. Now wasn’t the time to give in to the slow burning anger at the thought of his girlfriend with his brother.

Jack focused again on his sister. The eyes that raised to his weren’t the clear hazel ones that he remembered. These were faded, washed out, and confused. Gone was the youthful smoothness of her skin, and the roundedness of her cheeks. She was thin and appeared brittle. However, her cheekbones, the set of her eyes, the way the edges of her lips quirked up when she was about to smile – those he all recognized.

“Katy,” he repeated, not in a question this time but affirming who she was to him. It had suddenly come to him that he was the only person left who called her Katy. The children called her Aunt Kate. She was Katy to him, his little sister, no matter how old she was now. Jack stepped forward, intending to hug her.

“You... you look just like... it’s hard to remember that long ago, but you look like my brother Jack.” Her voice, like the rest of her, was frail.

The teen halted his forward progress. “I _am_ Jack. I’m your brother.”

“Jack? But you’re so young.”

_And you’re so old_ , he thought _._ “I was in the cryo unit. I just woke up.”

Katy sat up slightly in excitement. “Jack?”

“Yes, I’m Jack.” He shifted awkwardly, feeling wrong-footed. He knew he ought to be hugging his little sister, but right now it just felt strange. If not now, then when? He stepped forward again determined to do it just to break the ice, but stopped suddenly at her next words.

Speaking softly as if to herself Katy said, “Tom woke up too. I woke up Tom.”

Jack looked down at the sudden intake of breath beside him and saw that Trey had joined him, his eyes widened now in surprise. Apparently this was news to him too. He put a steadying hand on the boy’s shoulder and turned back to his sister. In a shaky voice he asked, “You woke up Tom?” _Why?_

His sister sat up straight again, her shoulders thrown back in indignation. “I was lonely, of course!”

Trey leaned into Jack’s side and felt the older boy’s hand creep around his shoulders in automatic response.

“You were... you... did- did...” Jack sputtered. He wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to ask. Katy got Tom out of cryogenic sleep because she was lonely? Did she know she was damning their older brother to a life on the ship? A lifetime of never seeing anything out the viewscreen except black space and distant stars, never moving beyond the confines of the ship, never to set foot on the new planet? How could she do this to him? Tom would have done anything for them – he tried to give them a whole new world! - and this is how she repaid him? It was awful enough that his sister’s life had been spent on the ship, but to find out she knowingly consigned Tom to the same fate? “And Stephanie?” he managed to croak out.

A half-smile formed on the woman’s face as she looked off at nothing. “Steph... she was a good girl, I always liked her.” Said like a much older woman of a young girl, not like the little girl who once looked up to the older teenage Stephanie.

Jack pressed, needing to know what happened. His voice strangled, he asked, “Did you wake her too?”

Katy returned her attention to the box of junk, and in a distracted, defensive way said, “Tom needed a wife.” She glanced back up at her brother and there was a brief flash of something in her eyes, a recognition, then it was gone, the lucidity with it. She looked past him to the more familiar children. “Trey? I’m looking for my pencil... what did I do with it?”

Kelly stepped forward. “I’ll help you look for it,” she volunteered. She settled beside her elderly aunt, and Jack realized this was probably a common occurrence. Katy resumed rummaging through the little box, and Kelly occasionally stuck a finger in to point at something and ask a quiet question which got a soft reply.

Trey grimaced apologetically at Jack, then he and Austin retreated into the larger room. Jack remained for a time silently watching, but Katy’s attention didn’t return to him. Finally, he left, brushing past Caelin and his keeper, ignoring the concerned looks on their faces.

 

**Castor Lycan**

On his and Kyle’s return to _The Defiant_ , Castor ordered Caelin and Wright to head back also, via Haggis. Having turned off the diffuser upon leaving the storage bay, they listened through their mindlink as Caelin argued with the computer.

“Are you sure? Do we have to go back now? Jack is... I think I should stay with him now.” The last part was whispered, so they guessed the awakened teen was in earshot.

“Captain Lycan wishes you to return to _The Defiant_ now,” Haggis repeated with all the implacability of a computer.

“But-”

Caelin’s protest was cut off by Wright. “Come along, Caelin. Jack will be alright with his family, and you can talk to him later.”

“But-”

“Say goodbye and come along.”

“Yes, sir. Bye, Jack. Bye, guys.”

Castor and Kyle exchanged looks of wry amusement. Caelin’s embarrassment practically wafted over the link.

“Not like him to argue,” Kyle commented as they strode down the corridor leading from the hatch to the bridge.

“No, I believe it’s a first,” Castor agreed. He’d have to check in with Caelin later, or Jack himself, to find out what had his young almost-apprentice so concerned. For now, however, he had bigger issues.

Kyle joined Kara and Marcus in the bridge, while Castor continued on to his quarters. He wanted to talk to Egan privately before discussing the cryo bank openly with his crew. Forgoing his usual method of communication, mindlink to Haggis Jr. on _The Defiant_ , Haggis Jr. to the much larger Haggis on _The Triumph_ , Haggis to Egan – Castor activated privacy shields on his quarters and told Haggis to get him a secure connection to his brother on _The Triumph_. The diffuser was turned back on.

“Castor,” came his brother’s voice through the speaker on his desk. It sounded strange to the young captain. Usually he heard Egan through his mindlink.

“Captain,” Castor said formally, indicating that this wasn’t a personal call.

“What have you found?”

Castor briefed his brother, telling about the condition of the cryo ship, how they had gone aboard, the number of people still in cryogenic sleep, and finding the old woman alive.

“She spent her life on the ship?” Egan asked, his compassion coming through. “Alone? Do you know how old she was when she left cryogenic sleep?”

“Yes, no, and not entirely.” Castor felt a momentary prick of guilt that he hadn’t paid much attention to the elderly woman. He would ask Dr. Seka to take a look at her, and given that she had sabotaged the cryo units, letting her wander the ship unattended had to stop. “She’s the younger sister of Jack Corwin, and he’s 18, so maybe a few years younger.”

“Jack? Who is Jack?”

Glad his brother couldn’t see the heat that had suddenly sprung up on his chest and face, Castor said, “It’s complicated. Kathryn wasn’t the only survivor, there were three children as well. They’re related to Kathryn, and they all wanted to wake Jack now that the ship was found.” Feeling disingenuous for tossing the blame on the children, Castor continued, “And I wanted someone who could make decisions for _New Horizon_. The children can’t, and Kathryn... her mind is gone.”

In a hard voice, Egan asked, “So, you awoke this Jack even though he was only 18?”

Suddenly feeling like he was 14 again and caught racing around the corridors of _The Triumph_ in stocking feet, only to skid to a halt in front of his brother and captain (yes, that had happened!), Castor said, “Yes, sir, I didn’t know he was 18 until it was too late.”

“And it was too difficult to check the manifest?”

“I should have,” Castor admitted, cringing at the disapproval dripping from Egan’s voice.

There was a brief silence, then Egan said, “If the ship is as bad as you say, it can’t support more people right now, and _The Defiant_ certainly can’t handle that many. No one else! Understand? Don’t awaken anyone else. We’re seven days out, just don’t do anything until then.”

“Yes, sir,” Castor promptly said, taking a long, shallow breath that he hoped his brother wouldn’t be able to hear. His earlier excitement snuffed out by Egan’s disappointment and his own sense of failure, he waited silently.

Egan’s sigh came over the speaker. “Anything else to report? Any sign of other ships?”

“No other ships, but we’re keeping watch. We did find something interesting.”

“And?”

Remembering the wealth of possibilities in the freezer, his voice became animated once again. “A seed bank, Egan.”

“Well, obviously they brought seeds.”

“Yes, but it’s more than that! It’s not just for crops. It’s everything. _Everything_ , Egan. Animals and, not just farm animals, but lions and marine animals and... just everything.”

There was a brief silence, then Castor heard Egan asking Haggis for details on _New Horizon’s_ manifest. He remained silent, straining to hear, since Haggis relayed the information out loud to Egan rather than through the comm for Castor to hear as well. He picked up a word or phrase here or there, and although he could have asked his own ship’s computer for the same information, he waited for Egan to talk. When Haggis fell silent, Castor waited expectantly. And waited. Finally after a minute of silence (in which Castor started wondering if there was something wrong with the comm link), Egan spoke, his voice containing some of the same excitement Castor had felt earlier.

“Apparently, that’s no mere seed bank, Castor. That’s a doomsday vault. It was one of three sent out by the AI on three colony ships.”

“Mars has one, another was lost on its way to Proxima Centauri b,” Castor joined in. “I didn’t know there was a third until today.”

“You know what this means.”

“I do.”

“Keep the vault secure until we can get there.”

“I will.” An uncomfortable thought surfaced to Castor’s mind again. “Who will it belong to?”

“That will be sorted out in due time. Our duty is to keep it safe until that happens.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Very well. Keep me apprised.”

“Yes, sir, I will.”

“Goodbye, Cas.”

“Bye, Egan.”

 

**Caelin Hall**

Caelin knew he was in for it. As he and Mr. Wright left Jack on _New Horizon_ and made their way back to _The Defiant_ , he knew he was in for it. The steely gaze and pursed lips of his guardian, the way the older man followed exactly one pace behind him, the air of disapproval rolling off him at every turn, Caelin didn’t need any of those signs to know he was in trouble. They were there, but he certainly didn’t need them. No, he already knew he was in for it. He scurried back to their quarters, trying to stay out of arm’s reach, head down trying to avoid notice from anyone else they passed. Fendi was the only one they passed, fortunately, and when he saw the embarrassed younger teen hurrying along followed by the smoldering Mr. Wright, he took a quick step back into the galley to let them pass unimpeded.

Wright followed Caelin into the teen’s half of their quarters, closing the door behind them in a deceptively quiet way. Caelin slipped out of his jacket, tossing it on his bed, then took a shaky breath and turned to face his guardian. He managed to hold his gaze for about five seconds, then dropped his eyes.

Wright stood with his arms crossed, and the fury that had been contained on their trek was now apparent on his face. “The next time you are given an order, what will you do?”

Barely raising his eyes, Caelin tilted his head slightly as he tried to guess what reply might make the older man go easier on him. “Obey it?”

“Obey it,” Wright repeated, as if that was the most obvious, most stupid reply ever. Caelin felt his cheeks flush in embarrassment, and dropped his eyes again. “Next time you are given an order, you will immediately say, ‘yes, sir’ and hop to obey it. You will not talk back, you will not protest, you will not question it. Is that understood?”

“Yes, sir,” came the low reply.

A second later Caelin regretted his lowered gaze, because it unfortunately allowed him to watch as Wright unbuckled his belt and pulled it through the loops of his black pants. Somehow he doubted he would be getting by with the customary two or three licks that he’d been given on prior occasions.

“Pants down, and bend over the bed.”

Caelin’s jaw dropped at the order. Pants down? Mr. Wright had never required that of him before! No one but his father had ever demanded that, and those occasions had been very infrequent. “Mr. Wright! No!”

At the protest, Wright snapped the belt and said, “Now it’ll be bare. What did I just tell you?”

The 17 year-old blinked back sudden tears. It wasn’t fear of punishment that caused them. It was everything, the whole unfairness of his life now. At home with his family he had been allowed to question things and to voice his opinion as long as it was done respectfully. He had never been punished for being concerned for someone else, and he didn’t know why he deserved it now. Jack had been sad and distraught and angry after seeing his sister, and Caelin hadn’t wanted to leave him alone. Even if he couldn’t be the one to stay, was it all that wrong of him to try to get someone else to? He didn’t think so. But no, Mr. Wright didn’t care about any of that. No, all that mattered to his guardian was that he hadn’t immediately obeyed the Captain’s order. And now, now he was ordered to drop his pants? And it was going to be bare even? The teen shivered slightly at the anger coming off the man in front of him. His father had never punished him when he was angry. No, he had always cooled off first. How could Caelin ask him to calm down first without angering him further for not obeying right away? Maybe he could talk him down?

“I’m sorry, Mr. Wright,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady.

“Answer my question.”

“You said t-to drop my pants.” Caelin felt his face redden even further.

“Before that.”

The boy struggled to remember what had been said before. The ‘drop your pants’ had pushed all other thoughts straight out of his head! “You said, um... I’m sorry, I can’t remember.”

Wright stared at his charge in slight disbelief. Caelin was obviously distraught, his usual poise missing. His usual intelligence was missing, he thought with a slight snort. Changing tactics, he pointed at the desk. “Sit.”

With a puzzled look, the boy obeyed, perching tentatively on the edge of the chair in front of the small desk. It was more of a shelf, he had thought when he first saw it. Barely twelve inches deep, it folded up to save space.

“Lines. You will write 500 lines.” At the baffled look Caelin gave him, Wright directed, “Get your tablet.” He waited until Caelin had the translucent, paper-thin tablet in place on the desk. As it was turned on, it turned opaque. “Lines. Write this down. ‘When I am given an order, I will immediately obey it. I will not question the order. I will not protest the order. I will not talk back. An order is an order, and I will obey it.’ Have you got that?”

“Yes, sir.” Caelin showed him what he had written, and the man nodded.

“Copy that 500 times. Number the lines and have Haggis count.”

“Yes, sir.” He shifted slightly. “Is this in place of the- the other punishment?”

“No, this is because you couldn’t remember to obey an order. When you finish here, call me. I will return, you will drop your pants, and I will punish you. Understand?”

Trying to keep from wilting from the thought of what the next hours held, Caelin, defeated, quietly replied, “Yes, sir,” and turned to write his lines.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, do you want to see Caelin get it? Or shall we let him suffer that indignity in private?
> 
> Thanks again for reading! :)


	10. Finding a Way Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack makes a decision with far-reaching consequences, and Caelin and Mr. Wright conduct their unfinished business.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **New Horizon Colony Ship** | 
> 
> **The Defiant**  
>   
> ---|---  
> Tom, Jack 18, Katy Corwin | **The Cadre:** | **The Crew:**  
> Trey 12, Austin 10, Kelly Corwin 9 |     | Captain Castor Lycan 25 (mindlinked) |     | Master Engineer Cy Concannon  
>   |   | Kyle Tabor 26 - pilot (mindlinked) |   | Dr. Seka Corea  
> **The Triumph** |   | Marcus Kilian (mindlinked) |   | Kara Reid  
> Captain Egan Lycan |   | Demetri (Demmy) (mindlinked) |   |    
> Commander Robert Meyers |   | Fendi Jayadi 19 (not mindlinked) | **The Apprentices:**  
>   |   |   |     | Renny Lycan 16  
>   | **The Guests:** |   | Tyler 16  
> |  | Caelin Hall 17 |  |   
> |  | Mr. Wright |  |   
  
**Caelin Hall**

  1. **When I am given an order, I will immediately obey it. I will not question the order. I will not protest the order. I will not talk back. An order is an order, and I will obey it.**



The instant the last word of the punishment paragraph was written on the thin tablet, the whole thing disappeared and a fresh screen of waiting lines appeared. Caelin growled in frustration. This was going to take all night! He’d been at it hours already, his hand was cramped, and he was bored. Bored and hungry and frustrated and aching from sitting in the chair all evening. At least, he mused, he was doing the lines first, and not following the promised whipping from Mr. Wright. Sitting would have been torture!

  1. **When I am given an order, I will immediately obey it. I will not question the order. I will not protest the order. I will not talk back. An order is an order, and I will obey it.**



This time, the writing remained.

“Haggis, I’m done with that one.”

“It is numbered incorrectly. You have skipped 213 and 214.”

“Oh, my mistake.” Caelin thought it was worth a try, anyway. He erased the ‘5’ and wrote ‘3’ in its place, and the instant he did, the writing disappeared. Only 287 to go. His stomach growled and he pressed a hand to his middle hoping to stop it from happening again.

  1. **When I am given an order, I will immediately obey it. I will not question the order. I will not protest the order. I will not talk back. An order is an order, and I will obey it.**
  2. **When I am given an order, I will immediately obey it. I will not question the order. I will not protest the order. I will not talk back. An order is an order, and I will obey it.**



Caelin grinned slightly suddenly remembering the phrase Mr. Wright had used when scolding him. He wrote:

  1. **When I am given an order, I will immediately obey it. I will _hop_ to obey it! I will not question the order. I will not protest the order. I will not talk back. An order is an order, and I will obey it.**



The writing remained on the tablet. In a cheeky but quiet voice that he hoped his guardian wouldn’t hear, he said, “Haggis, you’re shirking now! Come on already and count it!”

“You have included another sentence that your guardian did not instruct you to write. Shall I ask him if he would like it included in all future sentences? Or perhaps he would like you to start over, including that phrase?”

“No, no, it’s all right.” Caelin shuddered at the thought of starting over. As he erased ‘I will hop to obey it’ he wondered if Haggis was serious with his suggestions, or if he was tweaking him. How smart, exactly, was Haggis? “Haggis?” he asked as number 216 was wiped clear.

“Yes, Caelin?”

Fighting to keep his voice from shaking at the intensity of the sudden longing that came over him, he asked, “May I contact my family?”

“You know you may not.”

“Please?” Did begging work with ship’s computers? Caelin was willing to try.

“You may request it of the captain, but he has already informed me that there will be no outbound communications that he has not authorized. If you would like to ask Captain Lycan for permission, you certainly may.”

“Ask the captain for permission for what?” Mr. Wright asked, appearing in the doorway joining their rooms together.

Caelin cringed, knowing the man wasn’t going to like the answer. Looking down at his tablet he softly said, “Permission to contact my family.”

To his surprised relief, Mr. Wright didn’t get angry or derisive. No, the man sighed and entered the room, sitting on the edge of the bed. The teen shifted his chair slightly and swung his legs to the side of it to face his guardian.

“I know it isn’t easy, Caelin.” He gave a harsh laugh. “This is the furthest thing in the world from easy. You knew it would be harder on a ship, though, right?” Caelin nodded, and the man continued. “You knew that going in. If you had settled for a life of ease on Montauk or Kessler, doing nothing, you could have called home every day.”

“I know. I just miss them. Especially now, when I’m in trouble.”

Mr. Wright held the boy’s gaze, both of them wearing bleak but frank and open expressions. They didn’t have secrets or false pride or inhibitions between them. Well, except for baring his behind to be punished. Caelin felt himself flushing at the thought of the punishment that was still to come. But normal everyday secrets, thrown together as they had been, there was no use in keeping those.

His voice softening and warmth crinkling the edges of his eyes as he almost smiled at his charge, Mr. Wright said, “I’m proud of you, you know.”

Caelin’s head shot up at that and his eyes narrowed in disbelief. “You are?”

“Yes. You could have taken the easy way out. Become a wastrel like your idiot cousin Ron.”

The teen snickered at that. He had thought he was the only one who thought of Ron as an idiot.

Mr. Wright allowed himself an actual smile, then became serious again. “Just see that you don’t take after him in _any_ way, understand?”

Caelin sobered immediately and shook his head. “I won’t, Mr. Wright. I won’t run away.”

“Good boy.”

Lips curling up slightly at the edges, Caelin looked around him at the bulkheads. “Not like I could even if I wanted to.”

The warmth returned to Mr. Wright’s face, appreciating the boy’s attempt to bring lightness to the heavy conversation. “I’m proud of you for preparing for the future, and not just any future, but one that demands a lot of hard work and sacrifice. I’m proud to be here with you on this journey.”

The praise and affirmation that he was on the right path, and that he wasn’t entirely alone on this path even though it often felt like he was, brought warmth to the boy’s chest and he said, “Thank you, Mr. Wright. I’m glad you’re here too.”

The two regarded each other in content silence for a moment, then the older man asked, “How many lines have you completed?”

Caelin glanced at his tablet, where he had already written ‘217’. “216.”

“Let’s go eat, and when we get back I’ll let you out of part of your punishment.”

Caelin sat up. “Really? Which part?” Please let it be the whipping, he silently begged.

Mr. Wright easily read the boy’s thoughts. “No chance. You have that coming, and I’m hoping that when you sit tomorrow you’ll remember the important of obeying the captain. You need to make yourself useful and ingratiate yourself with the captain and the crew. Make yourself indispensable.”

“Yes, sir,” Caelin said steadily. He didn’t like that word ‘ingratiate’. It sounded cold and calculating and well, smarmy. Like he was only learning and trying to be a real member of the crew because he wanted something in return. It sounded fake. He kept his features still even though he wanted to grimace at the thought. Ingratiate. He didn’t need to do that. He was doing his best because he truly wanted to learn about spaceflight and the ship and navigation and – well, no, navigation wasn’t his favorite – but he wanted to learn everything else! And he was naturally cheerful and helpful and polite, and he hated the thought that anyone might think he was just trying to ingratiate himself. Ugh.

“You’ve written enough lines. Let’s go eat.”

“Yes, Mr. Wright. Thank you, sir.” He set down his stylus and stood, stretching and arching his back.

Mr. Wright picked up the boy’s jacket from where he had tossed it earlier and handed it to Caelin. Once they were both impeccably dressed, then headed to the galley.

 

**Jack Corwin**

Jack walked the corridors alone. His sister and Kelly were in the little room Katy called home. The boys had remained in the outer living area. Caelin and Wright had returned to their ship, and now Jack was alone with his thoughts. Thoughts of his siblings, of the lives they had lived on the ship. He couldn’t even stand to think of Katy living alone for so many years. _Had_ she been alone? Had there been any other survivors back then? What had Tom thought when he was awakened and learned the situation? What about Stephanie? Jack knew that once someone was awakened, there was no going back into cryo sleep. It was dangerous enough to do once, the mixture of chemicals entering the body – doing it twice was too dangerous. Once awakened, there was no going back. How old was Katy when Tom and Stephanie joined her? What had happened to them? Jack still didn’t know. They couldn’t have been that old when they died.

Jack suddenly hoped Tom and Stephanie had been very happy together and had made the most of their time. Three children, they must have made the most of their time together. He stopped that line of thought. Losing them both was too raw, and while he could intellectually wish them happiness, he still wasn’t ready to think of them together. Jack’s thoughts of his siblings and Stephanie mostly consisted of pity and sorrow and horror. Flashes of anger crept in, but he carefully tamped it down again.

He shook his head to clear it. It was too overwhelming to think of right now, and there were more important considerations. He was alive, his sister and the kids were alive, and there were apparently more survivors still in cryo sleep. Meanwhile, these other people from the future (or more accurately from the present – he was from the past) were on board his ship, making decisions and acting like they owned the joint. It wasn’t their ship and they weren’t in charge. No, _New Horizon_ had its own chain of command and it seemed he was a lot nearer the top of it now than he had been at launch, but he wasn’t in charge either.

The military members of their expedition were scattered amongst the cryogenic chambers, and it took him a few minutes and examining two of the rooms to find the two officers who outranked him, Lieutenant Brown and Lieutenant Grayson. Their units were in the same chamber and without a moment’s hesitation, Jack Corwin pressed the red buttons that would start awakening them. Then, he sat back to wait.

 

**Caelin Hall**

Dinner went much too quickly for Caelin’s liking. Several members of the crew were still on _New Horizon_ , so the meal was much less formal than normal. Renny, Tyler, and Caelin sat together at one end of the table, and the rest of the crew ignored their chatter. Caelin soon found himself drawn into the jokes of the slightly younger teens, their infectious laughter causing the gloomy thoughts of his upcoming punishment to flee to the corners of his mind. All too soon, however, dinner had ended. Fendi was consigned to do the dishes and waved off Caelin’s offer to help. Caelin ignored Mr. Wright’s amusement at his attempt to delay the inevitable.

Back in their quarters Caelin again shed his jacket, noticing with dismay that his guardian not only removed his own as well, but rolled up his sleeves. Unable to watch as the belt again made an appearance into Mr. Wright’s hands, Caelin nervously said, “Excuse me,” and beat a retreat into the small head they shared. He wasn’t procrastinating... much. No, he really had to go. But his hands probably didn’t need as much washing as they received. He leaned down with his forearms on the edge of the sink letting the cool water run over his hands until he stopped trembling. Then he pulled himself together, dried off, and went out to meet his guardian.

Mr. Wright was waiting, his belt doubled in his right hand. He jerked his head towards the bed and Caelin made his way over. The boy gave his guardian a pleading look.

“Drop them.”

Caelin wanted to refuse and argue and plead and basically act like an obstinate eight year-old, but he knew that wouldn’t get him anywhere. No, he would do his best to keep his dignity. Not able to look Mr. Wright in the eye, he aimed for casualness as he unbuckled his own belt and unzipped his fly and shoved his pants down to his knees. He waited silently for further instructions, unable to bring himself to drop his underwear without an order. Finally, in the silence, he glanced up at his guardian. How was this going to be done? He would die of shame if he had to pull down his underwear before he was in position.

“Lay down.”

The boy immediately lay down on his stomach before he received another order that countermanded it, propping himself up by his elbows so he wasn’t totally flat. He watched as the belt was placed beside him on the mattress, then he felt hands at his sides taking hold of his underwear.

“Lift up.”

Caelin raised his hips slightly and soon his underwear was mid-thigh. Completely embarrassed, he buried his head in his pillow and waited for the first strike. It wasn’t long in coming, and the force of it made him gasp in pain. Yes, his father had occasionally thrashed him with a belt, and yes, a handful of times he’d spanked him without any layers of clothes as protection, but it was never at the same time. He’d never felt the sharp whack of the belt on his bare behind before, and it was far more painful than he had expected. He hissed as the next several licks fell. At about the sixth or seventh – he’d lost count – he squirmed a bit, and Mr. Wright waited as his charge shifted the pillow a bit so that it was under his chest allowing him to grab it in a fierce hug.

Then Mr. Wright resumed the whipping. A few more licks in, and he reached out to place a hand on the sweaty back to hold the teen in place. The boy’s legs kicked up a few times and the man heard stifled cries, lost in the pillow’s stuffing. Finally, after the 15th whack of the belt, he deemed the lesson given and stepped back to re-loop his belt.

Caelin remained buried in his pillow, his shoulders shaking with his sobs. Mr. Wright considered re-clothing him, but decided he would leave that to the teen. Glancing at the angry red marks on the boy’s behind, he figured Caelin probably wouldn’t want to dress any time soon anyway. Placing a hand gently on the back of the boy’s head, he said, “It’s over. I’ll leave you to lick your wounds.” And with that, he retired to his own quarters, uncharacteristically closing the door between their rooms to give the teen some privacy.

Caelin shook and cried, certain he’d never been in so much pain before. Despite his clan’s somewhat bloodthirsty reputation, he himself had been gently raised. A spanking from his parents usually meant half a dozen swats or so, even fewer on the rare occasions his father had taken off his belt. Caelin was naturally eager to please, and it didn’t take much to make him change his ways. His current situation was too much like being beaten into submission. No, it _was_ being beaten into submission. His tears gained a new intensity at that thought, and he just laid there, crying and sorry and mad at the universe for putting him in this horrible position.

After a time, a long time, his tears lessened and he dared reach back to rub at his behind. He thought he might be bleeding after all that, and was relieved to discover he wasn’t. Finally he got to his feet, wincing the whole while, and shuffled back to the head. The red marks were already fading, though his skin was still hot to the touch and it still hurt a _lot_. He washed his face and wet a cool cloth, holding it to his behind to remove the lingering heat. Then he changed into his pajama top, deciding against his pajama bottoms, and crawled into bed with just a light sheet covering him.

After a few minutes of quiet, the hatch opened and Mr. Wright appeared. Caelin watched him as he progressed across the room to sit on the edge of the bed.

“Feeling better?”

Caelin wasn’t quite sure what his guardian meant by that. Was he feeling better than he had earlier in the day? Definitely not. Was he feeling better than he had in the middle of the whipping? Most definitely! Taking the path of least resistance he quietly said, “Yes, sir.”

“Good.” Mr. Wright again reached a hand out and cupped the back of the teen’s head before tousling his hair and returning his hand to his own lap. “Your parents charged me with keeping you alive as long as possible, and that is what I hope to do.” His eyes betrayed his thoughts, and Caelin’s own dropped as he read what was unspoken. They both knew that as the surety, there were no promises of a long life for Caelin, no promises that the man now charged with his well-being and attempting a rough sort of comfort, wouldn’t someday have to surrender him to death.

“I’ll do better,” Caelin promised solemnly, pulling the sheet tighter around his shoulders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sad for Caelin. And to think he originally wasn't intended to be one of the major characters! I hope you like him as much as I do :)
> 
> Thanks for reading and leaving comments - it's much appreciated! 
> 
> Up next - a chapter in Brothers :)


	11. Power Surge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack takes action, and attempts are made to save New Horizon!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Horizon Colony Ship | 
> 
> The Defiant  
>   
> ---|---  
> Tom, Jack 18, Katy Corwin | **The Cadre:** | **The Crew:**  
> Trey 12, Austin 10, Kelly Corwin 9 |     | Captain Castor Lycan 25 (mindlinked) |     | Master Engineer Cy Concannon  
>   |   | Kyle Tabor 26 - pilot (mindlinked) |   | Dr. Seka Corea  
> **The Triumph** |   | Marcus Kilian (mindlinked) |   | Kara Reid  
> Captain Egan Lycan |   | Demetri (Demmy) (mindlinked) |   |    
> Commander Robert Meyers |   | Fendi Jayadi 19 (not mindlinked) | **The Apprentices:**  
>   |   |   |     | Renny Lycan 16  
>   | **The Guests:** |   | Tyler 16  
> |  | Caelin Hall 17 |  |   
> |  | Mr. Wright |  |   
  
**Jack Corwin**

Having begun the warming process for Lieutenants Brown and Grayson, Jack sat on the lid of a nearby unit to wait. Thoughts of his family and the awful turn their lives had taken encroached on the other part of his mind, which was trying to think of what should happen _now_. He gradually looked around the larger chamber, taking in the other cryo units which were still functioning and held living crewmates. In less than two hours more senior officers would be available to issue orders, but meanwhile... wouldn’t it be better to have more of _New Horizon’s_ crew and colonists awake to counterbalance the strangers from that other ship? Captain Lycan and what was it called? _The Defiant?_

Jack was profoundly bothered by the idea that people from some other ship, no – some other planet – were making decisions that weren’t rightfully theirs to make. His future and the future of everyone who remained from the crew of _New Horizon_ should be up to him and his superior officers and the other colonists. Who were these other people and why was Captain Lycan sticking his nose into their business? Well, they were being rescued. He was grateful for that, though surely they could have continued in cryogenic sleep until they reached their destination. They didn’t need help! That’s what a part of his mind was telling him – the part that was even now spurring him into taking further action. Actually, he was quite fascinated with these strangers. Imagining sleek warships from science fiction movies, he wanted more than anything to see this ship of theirs. If he was honest with himself, he might have realized that at least part of his indignation was due to his desire to distract himself from thoughts of Tom and Katy. Still, the idea of being marginalized preyed upon his mind.

Gazing around at all the other units, Jack suddenly got to his feet and quickly made his way around the room, starting the process for everyone. He avoided looking at the empty units, focusing on the ones that still hummed with the promise of life. How many more survivors had the captain mentioned? He tried to remember. Twenty or twenty-two or something. Not wanting to miss anyone, he went around to the other two cryo rooms as well. All told, his task took less than 15 minutes. Feeling smugly satisfied with himself for taking action, he returned to the room which held Grayson and Brown.

Scarcely five minutes later Captain Lycan appeared, attended by three other members of his crew. Three of them were bristling with anger. No, make that two of them. The captain and the older man, Cannon-something, were furious. Jack recognized the youngest member of the entourage as the security guy, but he didn’t remember his name either. The younger man gave Jack a rueful look, shaking his head slightly. The doctor who had tended him was also there, and after one sharp glance at him, she left him to the others and immediately checked on the awakening people.

Jack had been expecting to be discovered, but not quite so soon. He quickly stood, bracing himself against the anger emanating from them, and tried to convince himself that his actions were right and not up for scrutiny by them anyway. He stood solidly over the results of his handiwork, knowing that the process of awakening was irreversible once begun. The three men facing him provided a united front, an implacable wall of crossed arms and wide stances blocking any escape.

Despite his obvious anger, Captain Lycan spoke softly. "Mr. Corwin.” The use of ‘Mr. Corwin’ rather than ‘Lieutenant Corwin’ or even just ‘Jack’ did not go unnoticed by the teen, and the intensity in which it was spoken sent a shiver down his spine. “Mr. Corwin. You are not to awaken any more cryos. Your ship’s engines are in imminent failure. _New Horizon_ does not have the resources to sustain the remaining survivors, and until arrangements can be made for them, it would be dangerous to awaken them all."

With incredibly bad timing, Jack thought, the lights in the room suddenly flickered. Lycan turned a superior gaze on the younger man, and a hint of a smirk touched the corner of his angry eyes, as if he was just proven right. “Your ship,” he continued with clipped words, “Cannot handle the power surge of multiple simultaneous cryo units being activated at this time.”

Swallowing and wishing that Grayson and Brown were already awake, Jack nodded as though he agreed with the captain’s assessment. How much longer? An hour? Slightly more than an hour he guessed. Just over an hour and then he wouldn’t be responsible anymore. Still, he was more than slightly content at the knowledge that he had already begun the process on everyone and there was no going back.

“Captain,” Dr. Seka called quietly but urgently from the other side of the room. All eyes turned, and as the captain’s gaze fell on her, she wordlessly glanced down at the unit next to her. Understanding immediately, Lycan clenched his jaw and turned furious eyes on Jack.

It suddenly occurred to Jack that he knew nothing of these people. He’d watched his share of science fiction movies growing up, movies where battles in space were fought in close combat on spacecraft. Were they going to attack him now? He hadn’t actually studied hand-to-hand combat yet. His fast-track through college had been the priority during his training. He had studied to be a cartographer and it hadn’t been anticipated that he would need hand-to-hand. Who was he going to fight, after all? The other colonists? Aliens? His lips twitched at the thought, but he quickly grew serious again at the dark looks reaching him. Bracing himself for some sort of martial arts attack like in the movies, he had a sudden sickening thought. How angry would these strangers have to be to kill him?

"Mr. Corwin," Lycan said, with admirable control despite his flashing eyes and low voice. "Do you remember Chief Engineer Concannon? If not, allow me to re-introduce you. Mr. Concannon, will you kindly escort Mr. Corwin to engineering and keep him at your side until further notice?"

Concannon cracked his knuckles. “It would be my pleasure. Come along, Mr. Corwin.”

Masking his unease, Jack formally replied, "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Concannon.” Then without waiting for their reaction to his bluffed bravery, he headed for the door. Concannon followed him out of the room, then preceded him down the corridor. Jack hadn’t been in the engineering room except for once on a tour during training, so he glanced around with interest as he was led in.

"Sit there, if you please," Concannon said, pointing. 'Don't move, if you know what's good for you,' was what his tone of voice and eyes clearly said, and Jack sat on the top of three steps leading from one part of the room to another. There wasn't any point in resistance right now, one person against the whole crew of _The Defiant,_ especially this solid brick wall of muscle that was now between him and the exit. Jack wasn’t afraid, or so he told himself. No, he was _choosing_ to sit on the steps.

A few minutes later another young officer from _The Defiant_ entered and nodded to Jack in greeting, then set to work with Concannon. Both men removed their black uniform jackets, neatly folding them over a railing before setting to. They still wore their cravats and white shirts with the frilly cuffs and Jack almost snorted in nervous laughter as he considered offering them coveralls for this dirty work. He knew where plenty of those were, though he doubted they would take him up on the offer. He remained silent, however, and watched their efforts to save _New Horizon’s_ drive.

As Jack had made the rounds to awaken all of the other survivors, he hadn’t really been thinking about whether _New Horizon_ could support them. Of course it could! Couldn’t it? The whole crew was supposed to live on the ship for months until they went down to the surface after all. His brow furrowed as he realized the food supplies meant to last an entire crew a few years might be running out. Or maybe it was damaged or lost or... he felt rather foolish as he thought about it now. And that was just food. The captain had said the engine was giving out. The two men in the engine room talked quietly but every so often Jack caught a word or two. He heard ‘poxed’ and ‘sudden power surge’ and ‘young idiot’. The last was accompanied by glances at him, and he felt himself flush.

Feeling more than a little responsible for the state of the engine and the fates of the others now waking up, Jack was interested in the work being done by the two men. As time passed, their sense of urgency grew on him until he felt a grudging respect for their efforts to help save the ship. It didn't take long for him to get bored, however. His brother Tom would have enjoyed watching the two of them fiddling with things, but he was longing to get back to where things were happening, and he wanted to be there when the lieutenants awoke. Being forced to sit idly by, his agitation and sense of guilt (still mixed with pride for acting) grew. Wondering what resistance he would meet, he suddenly stood.

"I think I'll check on my nephews and niece," Jack announced to Concannon’s raised eyebrows.

The older man straightened from his position crouched next to what appeared to be a bunch of wires in a control panel. "Sit down, young man. You're going nowhere."

"I'm the senior ranking officer of _New Horizon_ , and this is my ship." Jack took a step toward the exit, but the older engineer was instantly by his side, surprising the teen with his speed.

"Mr. Corwin, you may be the senior ranking officer of _New Horizon_ 's crew... for about another hour. That signifies nothing, as you are not yet of age. This is not your ship. Now will you sit down and behave, or must I restrain you?"

Again, Jack sat.

 

**Castor Lycan**

Castor longed to strangle Jack. Thanks to Jack Corwin, they had a very short time in which to get organized and make provision for the additional people that were about to awaken. He stalked _New Horizon’s_ corridor in a fury, and his crew members wisely stayed out of his path. Two trips around and he finally dropped into a chair on the bridge to think in peace. He let himself be angry for five minutes before allowing himself to remember that he hadn’t set a guard on the cryo rooms. The fact that a guard had even been necessary had escaped him. What a disaster. Egan would never let him live this down.

The lights flickered twice before going off, followed shortly by the air circulation system. _Update, Demetri?_ he asked, leaving the bridge.

_Power drain, Captain. The cryo chambers are too much of a drain for what’s left of the electrical system. They never should have been set all at once. We’re diverting all available power to the chambers so we don’t lose any._

Lycan hurried to engineering, the dark corridors lit solely by occasional emergency lights in the floor. He cursed Jack under his breath with every step. By the time he reached engineering, Concannon and Demetri had matters under control and the lights were back on. Jack sat on some steps a short distance away, watching the action but not looking at any of them directly.

“Haggis computes there’ll be enough power to make it through the next few hours,” Concannon explained, wiping the back of his hand over his brow.

“Can we set up generators?” Lycan asked.

“ _Defiant_ doesn’t have enough power to run _New Horizon_.”

“There are several in the holds, but-” Lycan was interrupted by Concannon.

“They need fuel. We don’t have _gasoline._ ” The last word was spat distastefully.

“How about blocking off the living quarters?” the young captain suggested.

“Or a shuttle?” Demetri inquired.

“How many people can your shuttles support?” Concannon asked, turning to Jack.

“How many does _New Horizon_ have?” Lycan asked.

The teen started at being addressed, after being ignored for so long. “Um, shuttles?” He got to his feet, legs stiff from disuse, shaky from nerves, and weak from coming out of cryo so recently. Jack looked from Mr. Concannon to Lycan to Demetri and back again, wondering who to address. Settling on a place somewhere between them, he said, “Three shuttles.”

Lycan and Demetri already knew the answer, Haggis having supplied it as soon as the question had been asked. Castor nodded at Demetri. “Go. Check them out.”

The slightly younger man left, leaving Concannon, Lycan, and Jack in a sudden tense silence. Both men looked at the teen, who sat up straighter. Guilt and defiance were plain on his face, and the sight of it renewed Lycan’s ire.

“It you were mine, I’d-” Lycan grit out, then broke off. There would be time for anger later. Right now, he had to assure the safety of the freezer and its contents, not to mention the awakening cryos. Beckoning his Master Engineer, the two walked out of Jack’s earshot. “When the power is stable and a living space for the cryos is ready, the next priority is stabilizing power in the furthest cargo hold.”

“What’s so important in the cargo hold?” Concannon inquired.

The question wouldn’t have been welcome from anyone else, but from his former guardian and current bodyguard, Castor didn’t mind. Not entirely, anyway. Hoping his engineer would quickly agree, he quietly described what he and Kyle had found. Concannon’s eyes immediately signaled their understanding.

“We’ll get on it,” he confirmed.

While the two crew members from _The Defiant_ were off speaking in low tones, Jack quietly stood and sidled towards the hatch. Had he but known it, he was rather conspicuous in his attempt to remain unnoticed. The older men tracked him in their peripheral vision, and at the conclusion of their conversation, they both turned their stern gazes on him. Realizing his escape wasn’t going to happen, Jack quickly walked back to the steps, sinking down, a blush rising in his cheeks. Castor’s jaw tightened and when he spoke, though his eyes remained on Jack, his words were addressed to Concannon. “The cryos should start awakening soon. I’m going to meet them. You deal with _him_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter! Pretty soon we'll have a big long flashback chapter showing Jack and his siblings back on Earth. I know where this story is going, but it's a challenge to get there! Thanks for sticking with it and reading! BTW, how should Concannon deal with Jack? :)


	12. Facing Facts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack and Concannon discuss New Horizon's situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Horizon Colony Ship | 
> 
> The Defiant  
>   
> ---|---  
> Tom, Jack 18, Katy Corwin | **The Cadre:** | **The Crew:**  
> Trey 12, Austin 10, Kelly Corwin 9 |     | Captain Castor Lycan 25 (mindlinked) |     | Master Engineer Cy Concannon  
>   |   | Kyle Tabor 26 - pilot (mindlinked) |   | Dr. Seka Corea  
> **The Triumph** |   | Marcus Kilian (mindlinked) |   | Kara Reid  
> Captain Egan Lycan |   | Demetri (Demmy) (mindlinked) |   |    
> Commander Robert Meyers |   | Fendi Jayadi 19 (not mindlinked) | **The Apprentices:**  
>   |   |   |     | Renny Lycan 16  
>   | **The Guests:** |   | Tyler 16  
> |  | Caelin Hall 17 |  |   
> |  | Mr. Wright |  |   
  
**Jack Corwin**

Jack sat tensely under the watchful eye of the engineer, both listening as the quick footsteps of Captain Lycan grew ever fainter down the corridor. When all was quiet (relatively speaking, given that they were in the engine room), Cy Concannon walked towards the younger man, coming to a halt a pace away. Placing one broad hand on the railing to Jack’s side, effectively boxing him in place, the engineer leaned forward and spoke quietly but emphatically.

“Now then, Mr. Corwin. Listen and listen well. I can understand you awakening your crewmates. Speaking for everyone on _New Horizon_ is a lot of responsibility, and I don’t blame you for wanting to pass it along.”

Jack frowned. “I wasn’t trying to pass it off on someone else.” Even though he had been, more or less. No, that wasn’t right. He had just wanted to share it, he decided.

Concannon made a calming gesture with his free hand, as if to placate a small child, which is exactly how it made the teen feel. “Now, now, it’s alright, Jack. You’re 18, right? That’s not old enough to speak for yourself, much less the rest of the crew. It’s just as well you awakened the two lieutenants.” Leaning down further as if to divulge a secret, he winked and confided, “It will save the captain from having to decide which one of them to choose.”

Jack was confused. With one breath the older man seemed to be belittling him, with the next he intimated that Jack’s actions had been alright.

“That said...” Concannon took a breath, straightening up with arms crossed to tower over the teen. “Awakening the two lieutenants was a far sight different from deciding to awaken everyone. What were you thinking? Could the decision not have waited two hours? You wanted to give the responsibility to others, yet you took it upon yourself to make that foolish decision. Did you give any thought to the consequences?” As if to himself, he muttered, “Of course you didn’t. You’re 18. Your brain hasn’t fully formed yet.”

Jack glared, but found himself wordless.

“Let me tell you the consequences, since you didn’t bother to work it out for yourself. We are currently 2.8 lightyears from Montauk. If _New Horizon_ was in perfect working condition, it would arrive there in nine years. In its present condition-”

“It will still get there in nine years,” Jack interrupted, having learned that much in training. Once a craft reached velocity in space, it continued until stopped by an opposing force. In _New Horizon’s_ case, that meant reverse thrusters when it reached its destination. He continued, despite the fierce glare being directed at him. “We’re off course, right? So if we could just get nudged in the right direction...” His words faltered to a stop.

Concannon spoke firmly, taking up where he had left off, as if the teen hadn’t spoken. “In its present condition, even if it got ‘nudged’ in the right direction, as you suggest, it does not have the resources to last nine more years. We can stabilize the power source to last through this current crisis, but it’s not a long term solution. So. How do you propose to keep 23 people alive for nine years on a ship with minimal power?” He paused expectantly, but Jack remained silent. “That’s not even taking into consideration the need for food and water and other basic needs.” He paused again.

Jack pressed his lips together in annoyance, but when Concannon didn’t continue and was clearly waiting for a response, he grit out, “We’ll figure it out.”

“Oh, you will, will you?” Concannon glibly asked, arms again crossing as he nodded. “And who, exactly, are you referring to? Yourself? Are you an engineer?”

“No.”

“Those three children?”

“No,” came the sullen reply.

“Your sister? What is her specialty?”

Jack’s heart constricted at this low blow. Even if she weren’t – how old was she now? – even if she weren’t old now and apparently feeble-minded, she had still been a child when _New Horizon_ left Earth. She was in school! How could she have a specialty? He was sure Concannon was aware of all this. His fingers gripped the lip of the stair as he tried to calm himself.

Concannon noticed the pained breathing of the young man in front of him and sighed. “No. We’ve looked at the crew manifest. Of the 23, there is one engineer left. Is she going to figure this out for all of you? Good luck to her, she isn’t going to have much time to work miracles.”

Jack was quick to retort. “There’s only two of you! Engineers.”

“And a ship’s computer that holds the knowledge of four planets,” Concannon explained calmly.

“Isn’t there, like, another ship on its way?”

“Our ship. _Ours._ You need us, Jack. _New Horizon_ needs our help. It’s bullheaded to think you don’t.”

Jack finally dropped his head and focused on breathing in and out. Concannon took a step back, giving him his space. After a silent minute, the teen looked back up, most of the anger gone from his countenance. “Okay. I’m not sorry I awakened the lieutenants. And it _wasn’t_ an attempt to get out of responsibility.” Even though it was, a small part of his mind continued to point out. “ _New Horizon_ is _my_ ship and it’s _my_ crew, and I was in charge and I made the decision to do that.” He took a deep breath, gauging the older man’s reaction.

Concannon gave a brief nod, not signifying agreement, but merely that he was listening and understood Jack’s reasoning.

“And maybe it was a mistake to wake the others.” Jack winced, suddenly imagining Brown’s and Grayson’s likely reaction to the whole mess that he had evidently exacerbated. “But I’ll take responsibility for my actions.”

Concannon sadly shook his head. “That’s just it, Mr. Corwin. You _can’t_ take responsibility. You won’t be of age for another six or seven years.”

Anger again flared. “Maybe on _your_ world.”

“What other world is there?” Concannon waited for that to sink in, and he recognized the moment it did by the slight slumping of the teen’s shoulders. “Montauk or even Toren, whichever planet you end up on, the age of majority is 25.”

“So, I’m just supposed to shut up and do as I’m told? What gives you the right to tell me what to do? Grayson has seniority, he can tell me what to do, not you.”

The middle-aged engineer felt a grudging respect for Jack. Sure, under any other circumstances he would have immediately squashed his defiance, but this was no ordinary occasion. He hadn’t studied Earth history extensively, but he realized that from now on, everything Jack knew was gone. Literally everything would be new to him, even his family members. Allowances had to be made.

“You three, you’re in the United Nations Space Corps?”

“Yes.”

“The United Nations no longer exists. Its Space Corps is a defunct organization. It has no authority on Montauk, Toren, Mars, or even Earth. You and the others will need to decide, pretty quickly, what allegiance you owe to an obsolete government on a planet you escaped from.”

Jack, who had grown paler through this last speech, stilled at the word ‘escaped’.

Concannon nodded knowingly. “Yes, escaped. Or sent, more like. Isn’t that right? The AI sent this ship?”

“Yes. In a way.”

“Then I think I can safely say this ship won’t be allowed anywhere Montauk. If you want to take your chances with Toren...” He ruefully shook his head, as if going to Toren would be a horrible mistake.

Defeated for the moment, Jack quietly asked, “So, what now?”

Concannon eyed his young charge. “You say you want to take responsibility?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then you can help by tending to all of the people you just awoke. As brilliant and talented as she is, Dr. Seka has only one pair of hands.”

The engineer stepped back again, indicating that Jack could finally get up from the steps. As the teen stood, Concannon added a bit of advice. “And Jack?”

“Yes?”

“When the immediate crisis is sorted, _someone_ will have to be appointed your guardian. Yours and your nephews and niece. You might think about that before you decide to stomp around making demands.”

Confusion again in the young face staring up at him. “Someone on _New Horizon_ can do that, if it’s necessary.”

“Are you sure about that?” Concannon asked gently. “Maybe,” he conceded. “If they’re in any position to.”

_And if they didn’t hate him for putting them in this position of awakening to a disaster,_ Jack thought suddenly.

“Just a word to the wise. Respect and obedience are highly valued in our young. Should you find yourself with a guardian from Montauk or Toren, no adult will hesitate to take you out if your behavior warrants it.”

Reluctantly, Jack asked, “Take me out?” He didn’t really want to know what that meant, but he figured he needed to know.

“Yes, at your age, a belt to the backside, most likely.”

Jack flushed in angry embarrassment, but didn’t respond except with an angry gaze.

“Now then, I will escort you back to the cryo chambers. You have work to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next we'll meet up with Castor and the newly awakened cryos, and Caelin will probably make another appearance :)
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	13. Chaos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rest of the survivors awaken from cryogenic sleep...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Horizon Colony Ship | 
> 
> The Defiant  
>   
> ---|---  
> Tom, Jack 18, Katy Corwin | **The Cadre:** | **The Crew:**  
> Trey 12, Austin 10, Kelly Corwin 9 |     | Captain Castor Lycan 25 (mindlinked) |     | Master Engineer Cy Concannon  
>   |   | Kyle Tabor 26 - pilot (mindlinked) |   | Dr. Seka Corea  
> **The Triumph** |   | Marcus Kilian (mindlinked) |   | Kara Reid  
> Captain Egan Lycan |   | Demetri (Demmy) (mindlinked) |   |    
> Commander Robert Meyers |   | Fendi Jayadi 19 (not mindlinked) | **The Apprentices:**  
>   |   |   |     | Renny Lycan 16  
>   | **The Guests:** |   | Tyler 16  
> |  | Caelin Hall 17 |  |   
> |  | Mr. Wright |  |   
  
The group awaiting the imminent awakening of _New Horizon’s_ crew members was a decidedly more tense group than the smaller one that had greeted Jack. It consisted of Captain Lycan, Dr. Seka, Kyle, and Fendi with the apprentices, Renny and Tyler, standing by to run errands. Supplies of nutrient solutions, medicine, and fresh clothing were at the ready. The clothing had been salvaged from _New Horizon’s_ own stores, Lycan declining to offer any of his own crew’s black uniforms. The young captain glanced at the stack of tan and gray coveralls, not looking forward to seeing _New Horizon’s_ crew donning them. Twenty-some people running around in coarse one-pieces. How uncouth. With a practiced gesture, he leisurely tugged on the ruffled ends of his shirt sleeves, making sure they poked out an even amount from his midnight black jacket. Even as his attention was seemingly on himself, his sharp green eyes calmly took in everything around him, the status of the cryogenic chambers, the members of his own crew, the occasional flashes of the children who were passing the time running around the corridors, and Jack, leaning against the bulkhead in a sulk.

Jack stood behind the others, not particularly wanting to draw attention to himself, but wanting to be around when his fellow officers and colonists came to. He had been mulling over Concannon’s words the entire awkward walk from the engine room to the cryo section. What had the engineer called the United Nations? A defunct... something or other. Defunct organization, that was it. What was his duty to the UN and the crew going forward? He had been trained as a cartographer, to map the new world, but that was apparently useless now. The world had been settled for centuries. Even if by chance some little part of the planet was still uncharted, it wasn’t like he could afford to just go and map it all on his own. In the framework of the intended colony, his salary would have come from the UN. For a while (years, maybe), while the colony got underway, it would have been a communal existence. Now, though, he was going to be living on a settled world where he would need to support himself. Provide a living. Jack didn’t really know how to do that, not on Earth, and not on this new world. He took a few deep breaths trying to still his rising panic. Surely he wouldn’t have to do it right away? Not just himself, he would have his sister, two nephews, and a niece to support too! Did they even have cartographers anymore? Did satellites or something new automatically map everything? Even if there were cartographers, he knew the software systems he had learned were now long obsolete. Just like the United Nations.

Cy Concannon, having escorted a subdued Jack to act as another gofer, was continuing his assessment of _New Horizon_ but from a vantage point nearer the cryogenic rooms in case he was needed. Fendi was technically Master of Arms, but the experienced engineer privately considered the 19 year-old to be more of an ‘Apprentice Master of Arms’. On board _The Triumph_ , Fendi was exactly that, an apprentice. On the smaller _Defiant_ , however, just as Lt. Lycan was elevated to the rank of Captain Lycan, Fendi became the Master of Arms. Concannon remembered himself at 19, and – well, he himself might have been ready for such responsibility he thought with a touch of pride – but the rest of the youngsters who had passed through his care, Castor and the other members of his cadre, they wouldn’t have been responsible at that age. So, he kept himself nearby in case additional muscle became necessary.

Inside the cryo room, one of the chambers suddenly beeped a quiet alarm and let out a puff of air as the seal broke and the metal top slid open. Everyone straightened, on instant alert, all eyes focused on the inhabitant. Dr. Seka stepped forward, presenting a comforting, smiling visage as the first thing the chamber’s inhabitant would see. From his out of the way spot, Jack experienced déjà vu as the scene unfolded just as it had when he awakened. The cryogenic sleeper sitting up, meeting the captain and the doctor, being plied with the bag of nutrients. Lt. Grayson took a moment to orient himself, eyes narrowing suspiciously at the strangers, and managed to climb out of his cryogenic unit on his first try. His apparent ease did nothing to help Jack’s mood. In the same position, he himself had been disoriented, weak, and cold, and had promptly fallen asleep again. He shuffled his feet, uncomfortable at this reminder of his own weakness.

Introductions were still underway when the second cryogenic unit beeped its alert, and the focus of the group shifted. At the same time, the patter of light, running footsteps approached from outside in the corridor, and the three young Corwin siblings poked their heads in the room, closely followed by Concannon.

“Are they awake?” Trey, ever the spokesman for the trio, asked.

“Starting to,” Jack said, reaching out a hand to keep his nephew back.

Concannon shot Jack a look, and the teen flinched. It clearly said, ‘Keep those kids out of the way’.

Jack bristled and if he hadn’t known it would just fuel the anti-Jack vibes he had been feeling, he would have stated the fact that he didn’t take orders from him. But, the vibes were coming from all directions, except for the apprentices and his own relatives, so he quietly said, “Let’s give them some space. We’ll come back later when they’re all awake.” He herded the children out of the room, past Concannon who was standing with crossed arms to make sure they left.

Captain Castor Lycan continued with introductions, incorporating Lt. Brown this time. He was pleased that these two newly-awakened officers seemed to be able to hit the ground running. They took the strangers on their ship in stride, though Lycan kept the news about Montauk and Toren and the fate of the other colonists until they were all awakened so he wouldn’t have to repeat himself. He was already exhausted, having been up for about two days now. Figures that Jack started the process on the cryos at about midnight. It was now after 2:30 a.m. and only adrenaline was keeping Lycan up. Hopefully Jack was off putting the children to bed. Hopefully Jack would join them, and keep himself out of the way! Then the units started pinging one after the other, and his entire crew sprang into action. The next few hours would be hectic.

Jack accompanied Trey, Austin, and Kelly back to the rooms they had long claimed as their living quarters. He heard soft snoring from the tiny adjoining room, and felt his heart breaking again for Katy. Stifling a yawn, he asked, “Aren’t you all tired? Why don’t you get some sleep?”

“We sleep when we’re tired!” Trey explained.

“And I’m not tired!” Austin announced.

“Me neither,” Kelly chimed in, though she too yawned behind one hand.

Jack surveyed the three drooping children. Away from the excitement of the cryo chambers, they were obviously running out of energy despite their protests to the contrary. He smiled, remembering back to when he was young and fighting a bedtime. “Well, I’m tired. Why don’t you show me where you all sleep, and I’ll make a bed for myself?”

Without much additional fuss, Kelly and Austin found their bunks. Trey sat on the edge of his own and looked around, finally pointing to the only other sleeping area, a platform where two cots had been latched together. He pointed. “You can sleep there. That’s where Mom and Dad slept.”

Jack took it, shoving his feelings to the side. Sleeping where Tom had slept felt natural. He and his older brother had shared a bed or couch for most of their lives. Knowing that Tom had shared the space with _Stephanie_... the teen grimaced and laid down, keeping his boots on.

 **..»º*º«..**   

Hours later...

Caelin Hall woke early, wincing as he sat up in his bunk, the lingering pain of his strapping from the evening before coming to the fore. He jumped to his feet, rubbing his behind all the way to the small shower in his quarters. Closing the door behind him, he twisted around to examine his backside in the mirror. He was certain he had felt welts. He couldn’t see any, however, and felt a moment of disappointment. The worst belting of his life, and he had nothing to show for it! Feeling slightly disgruntled but also relieved that he hadn’t been permanently maimed by his encounter with his guardian’s belt, he quickly showered. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he returned to his room to dress for the day.

Mr. Wright called from his own room, the door between their two living quarters now open again. “The Captain wants you on _New Horizon_ today.”

“Really?” Caelin asked, his mood brightening. He never knew what he would be allowed or not allowed to do, knowing that it all came down to matters of state security. He wished above all else that the captain would trust him like he trusted his own crew and apprentices, but he knew that could never happen. When he had been sent back to _The Defiant_ the day before, he thought he would probably be kept in his quarters the rest of the mission. But now the captain was not only allowing him to return to the colony ship, but wanted him there? Fantastic!

Mr. Wright appeared in the doorway, a faint smile on his rugged face as he looked in on his charge. “Yes, really. We’re on babysitting duty.”

Caelin grinned, not deterred by the phrasing. He liked Jack and the younger kids. Renny and Tyler included him in conversations – sometimes – and games – sometimes – but his was still a lonely existence on _The Defiant_ and _The Triumph_. Jack was just a year older and his world was turned upside down just like Caelin’s, and maybe just maybe they could be friends. No, that was a silly idea. They were from two different ships, two different worlds, two different times. Jack would undoubtedly go off with the other colonists and they would make a life together, while Caelin would remain with the Lycans for the rest of his probably short life. The thought of his short life expectancy made him frown, then shake his head. He _had_ to live like he had a long, full life ahead of him. He refused to give up! He didn’t think he could take giving up. Just like everything else in his life since he had been snatched away from his home, he would make the most of today! And maybe, just for today, he could find a friend in Jack.

 **..»º*º«..**  

Jack was a bit disconcerted to wake up and find himself being watched... again. Caelin and his keeper were interacting quietly with the children, playing cards and chatting. Once he sat up, Caelin dropped his hand of cards and crossed the room.

“Good morning,” he said with a friendly smile.

“How can you tell it’s morning?” Jack replied, still tired. “There’s no light.” He meant no sunlight, but as he glanced around the darkened room, he realized it really was quite dark.

Caelin’s grin faltered. “Still not much power, sorry. But it’s morning.” Brightening again, he said, “Trust me!”

Jack’s morning grumpiness couldn’t prevail against Caelin’s cheerfulness, and he found the edges of his own mouth turning up. “Breakfast?”

“We already ate,” Trey said. “There’s food from the other ship set up in the corridor outside the cryo room.”

“It’s better than our food,” Kelly quietly observed. Their food stores had been dwindling in recent months. The aquaponics had taken a hit just before their parents died, the fish dying too, and they’d been living on the last of the original stored food from Earth.

Jack could only imagine what their food had been like. Getting out of the bunk, he walked over to the card players to stand behind his niece. She craned her neck up as he bent down and kissed her on the forehead. Kelly giggled, sounding much younger than she had moments ago, and raised her arms. Jack obligingly picked her up in a hug. She was too old and big to put her legs around his waist for him to carry her, but he was still able to catch her in a comforting squeeze. As he set her down again, he thought he detected a touch of longing in his nephews’ eyes.

“Anyone want seconds?” Caelin offered. He didn’t really want to separate into two groups. Somehow he didn’t think the captain would like that. To his relief, the children decided that was a great idea, and the entire group went in search of food.

“Where’s Katy?” Jack asked, confirming with a glance beyond the open curtain that his sister wasn’t in her little room.

“She’s out wandering.” Austin rolled his eyes. “She does that alllllll the time! Boooooring!”

Sensing his uncle’s annoyance at his brother’s words, Trey said, “We’ll probably come across her.” He reached out and took Jack’s hand. “Come on.”

Jack’s annoyance turned to amusement at being led down the corridor by his 12 year-old nephew. He wouldn’t have been holding hands with anyone (except a girl, if he was lucky... which he wasn’t at that age). But as they walked, the warm dry hand firmly hanging on to his own, Jack realized it must have been some time since Trey had been able to take comfort in not having to be in charge, of having an older family member around to take over. He gripped the boy’s hand firmly, and let him lead off.

 **..»º*º«..**  

The corridors and cryogenic rooms were chaos. The colonists outnumbered the crew of _The Defiant_ , and at first Jack couldn’t determine who everyone was. He could identify the colonists by their coveralls, but insignias of rank and name badges were missing. He helped himself to scrambled eggs and bread, stood by while the others got seconds, then followed the children to the end of the corridor. They sat on the ground in a small group, an impromptu breakfast picnic. Sure, they could have found a room to sit on chairs, but the kids had plunked themselves right down, and Jack was glad for the opportunity to observe the activity from a short distance away.

The colonists were milling around each other, the lieutenants and a few take-charge types in the center with the rest circling them, looking for answers. Captain Lycan, looking on his last legs, was near the center, flanked protectively by Concannon on one side and Fendi on the other. While _New Horizon’s_ situation was discussed and plans were made and revised and revised some more, Dr. Seka and the apprentices continued tending to the more immediate, physical needs of the survivors. From their end of the hallway, Jack and Caelin both decided they were glad to be out of the way.

Jack tried to recognize people he knew from amidst the milling crowd. He knew the two officers, of course. He hadn’t interacted with them much since they were career military and he had only been given his rank days before launch. They were probably ten years older than him. He recognized a few of the scientists, vaguely. When he had started the warming process he had taken note of the names on the plaques, so he already knew none of Tom’s colleagues had survived. His suspicion that none of the children had survived was now evident. He appeared to be the youngest of the colonists, and the only children in sight were his nephews and niece. For the last four years he had learned alongside the children of his fellow colonists, and now... they were gone. Knowing he had to keep his strength up, he forced himself to chew and swallow, but he held silent tribute for his fallen friends, remembering them.

**..»º*º«..**

Kyle Tabor swiveled in his chair on the bridge of _The Defiant_. He, Kara, and Marcus were locked inside, observing protocols. If the colonists decided the way out of their predicament was to overpower the smaller crew of _The Defiant_ , they would find themselves unable to enter the bridge. They would find themselves unable to get close, actually. The scout ship had a number of defensive measures in place that Haggis could activate on its own, or with a mere thought from Castor or any of the mindlinked cadre members.

Kara was monitoring communications as she had been since they left on their mission, watching for any sign that other ships might be coming to the aid (or the plunder) of the damaged ship that had sent out the broad SOS signal. She barely spared a glance for Kyle and Marcus, knowing they would just be sitting there with a spaced-out glaze in their eyes. If they were on Toren they could easily be suspected of being high on drugs, but no, this was their normal stupid expression when they were in full mind-linked mode.

Kara knew she was lucky to get assigned to _The Defiant_. Most of the crew were the cadre members who had grown up with the captain, or else were the young apprentices who had been appointed because they were family or family friends. That left very few openings for other crew members, so those that made the cut actually had to be competent. Not to say that Lycan or his cadre-mates were incompetent. No, she knew they were held to higher, more exacting standards than the crews of the other scout ships in the Space Guard. They kept her on her toes and she relished the challenge. Still, no other ship in the Guard had a mindlinked crew and at times it was downright inconvenient. She spared a glance at the two young men sharing the narrow bridge with her, and sighed. Instead of conversing with her, they were no doubt watching the events going on over at the colony ship. Assigned this same duty on any other ship, she would be helping to make plans while kicking back and chatting. But, no. Her two companions were spaced out. She poured herself another cup of tea, put her headphones back on (music in one ear, communications in the other), and tried to ignore them.

**..»º*º«..**

_How’s it looking?_ Kyle asked, watching the scene on _New Horizon_ through Castor’s eyes. After ten years of being mindlinked, the cadre members were by now experts in communicating. They knew how to share their thoughts, emotions, and even physical sensations (yes, that had unintended results during their hormonal teen years). Their normal practice was to keep the mindlink at the side of their minds where they could take notice of things or choose to ignore them, not unlike being in the same room with each other, but not necessarily being engaged in the same activity. That was a low-level of linking. At times, they explored a deeper link and saw through each other’s eyes. In order to do that they essentially had to mute their own surroundings in order to focus, leading to the glassy-eyed stares Kara found so annoying. Often they just closed their eyes, but not always.

Kyle and Marcus were engaged that way now with their captain, watching as he met with the cryo leaders and explained the predicament in which they found themselves. Lt. Brown had gone off with the engineer and one or two others to verify the damage to the engine room and the rest of the ship. Demetri had gone along to fill them in on the stop-gap measures he and Concannon had already undertaken. Concannon wouldn’t be leaving Castor’s side.

 _They don’t seem inclined to leave their ship,_ Castor told Kyle and Marcus, knowing Demitri was also listening in but at a lower level since he was busy escorting the cryos.

 _Wait ‘til they see Haggis’s schematics,_ Kyle replied. _Then they’ll realize how hopeless it is._

 _Aye,_ Castor agreed. Long practice with mindlinking also allowed him to keep certain thoughts private, and he used that ability now to hide his dark thoughts about Jack. The little idiot, waking everyone! He only hoped they had the resources to carry on until _The Triumph_ arrived.

**..»º*º«..**

A few hours later, Jack’s and Caelin’s job of keeping an eye on the three children was proving much harder. The three had been excited when _The Defiant_ arrived; when the captain and his crew came aboard they had been awed to meet new people for the first time in their lives; they had been thrilled when Jack awoke. He was family, and they were already identifying mannerisms that he shared with their dad, and that made his presence instantly comforting. Then, when it had been explained that the rest of the colonists were being awakened as well, they fully expected to enjoy that happening as well. Now, however, the reality was quite different from their expectations. The colonists were running around _their_ ship acting like they owned it! It was _their_ home! Trey’s and Austin’s and Kelly’s and Katy’s and maybe Jack’s too. Not really Jack’s, but they were willing to share since he was family and their mom and dad had always said if something happened to them, to wake up Jack and he would be in charge. They had been the ones living there their whole lives, taking care of things and making sure the other colonists stayed asleep. Well, Katy didn’t do that, but the rest of them did. Now there were lots of people running around, tsking at the damaged aquaponics set-up, tsking at their living quarters, rummaging around their living quarters claiming they had important things of their own in the storage units built into the walls, tsking when they discovered their important things were long-ago used and discarded or turned into amusements for bored children.

“That’s mine!” Kelly shrieked, making her brothers wince and take a step back from the noise. Some colonist was investigating her ‘treasure chest’, a box lined with shiny things she had scavenged. What did she care that they were ‘computer chips’ that properly belonged elsewhere? “Mine!”

Jack and Caelin exchanged glances, wondering who would run interference. They both had experience with little girls, but then so did Trey and Austin, and really, wouldn’t it be better to leave her to them? The matter was decided for them, however, when the colonist – a burly take-charge type – grabbed the box out of her hands, wheeling around to leave the room so fast that he accidentally knocked her backwards. She landed safely on her bunk, not hurt but surprised.

Everyone looked expectantly at the man, waiting for an apology, but he just tried to shoulder his way through their group.

“Hey!” Jack said, ire instantly raised. “Give that back to her!”

The colonist sneered and shoved his way past Jack, heading for the bridge. Angry at the bullying of his niece and himself being dismissed as not worthy of even a reply, Jack hauled back and punched the man. The older man reeled in surprise, then reached out and gave the teen a resounding open-handed slap that knocked him back a step. Infuriated, Jack started to follow him out the door, but Mr. Wright stepped in and held him back.  

“Let him go,” the guard counseled in a calming voice, a restraining hand on his chest and a grip on his arm. “Look after your niece.”

Jack wasn’t a total hothead, but protecting his sister had been deeply ingrained in him and that protectiveness naturally transferred to his niece. As the footsteps faded down the corridor, the surge of adrenaline faded. He didn’t know Mr. Wright well, of course, but so far the older man had seemed to act in Caelin’s best interest. Caelin appeared to respect him, and Jack was inclined to do so as well. After a tense moment he nodded and turned to the bunk where Caelin, Trey, and Austin were already gathered around the little girl.

Jack knelt in front of her. “Are you alright?”

“That was mine!” she cried.

“I know. I’m sorry. Maybe you can have it back if they don’t need it.”

“It won’t have the shiny things anymore.” She pouted, eyes brimming with tears.

Austin rolled his eyes at the dramatics, but suddenly bolted up and dashed out, footsteps pounding down the metallic corridor.

Trey hesitated a moment before jumping up. “I better go after him!”

Jack and Caelin exchanged another glance before looking to Mr. Wright. Jack was torn between following his nephews to keep them from getting pounded on and leaving his niece, who had grabbed one of his hands and was holding it tightly. Caelin also wanted to follow, but he knew he held no weight with the colonists, and would the younger boys even listen to him? He doubted it, and didn’t really care to try.

“You both stay here,” Mr. Wright ordered. “I’ll go after them.”

He caught up to the boys none too soon. Austin’s small fists were flying against the man whose hands were full with the treasure chest. Trey was pulling his brother away while trying to kick the colonist at the same time. The heavier man was setting the box down in order to grab the boys and do... what? Mr. Wright didn’t wait to see.

“Austin! Trey! Stop that at once!” he roared as he rapidly advanced towards the trio. The boys hadn’t been shouted at in quite some time and instantly turned to see who was doing it. Mr. Wright caught up to them and took them each by an arm, separating them from the angry colonist. Giving the man a curt nod, the guard said, “Please, continue on your way. I’ll take care of them.”

He held onto the boys until the colonist disappeared around a corner with the box. When the coast was clear, he dropped Trey’s arm, turned Austin to the side, and gave him three hard swats on the behind before releasing him. Austin gaped, his hands going to his bottom, while Mr. Wright gave his older brother the same treatment.

Leaning down, he coolly said, “I admire your dedication to your sister, but going after an adult like that was foolish. Now, come along.” He stalked back the way they had come, fully expecting the boys to follow, and after a gobsmacked look at each other, they did.

**..»º*º«..**

Some time later, when the children were calmed down again and sorting through their belongings on the advice of Mr. Wright, Jack quietly approached the man and his ward.

“I have to go and report in,” he nervously said, not knowing if he would be forbidden from doing so. Really, he had been glad for their company all morning, but as much as he was growing to like them, he didn’t take orders from them. He hoped Mr. Wright didn’t think he was asking for permission. No, he was merely informing them as a courtesy.

Caelin looked from Jack to Mr. Wright, wondering what his guardian would say about that declaration, and if he could possibly go with Jack. He was glad to be of use, and he enjoyed the children’s company, but he wouldn’t mind stretching his legs and going where all the action was.

Mr. Wright nodded without even having to think about it, making Jack wonder if he could have left hours ago.

“May I go with him?” Caelin asked, straightening up from where he’d been helping Kelly pack things into a bag.

“While I stay here?” the older man asked, a smile on his face as he nodded at the children. Me? Babysit? his eyes conveyed.

“Please? I’m supposed to stay with Jack.”

Jack scowled slightly at that. He hadn’t known precisely why the two had glommed onto him and his relatives all day, but if pressed he would have admitted he hoped it was more for the benefit of the children and not because someone was trying to keep tabs on him.

Mr. Wright considered briefly. Caelin had been respectful in his request, and it wasn’t unreasonable. If he said no, he had no doubt the boy would swallow his disappointment and not protest or ask again. Not after his punishment of the night before. All the same, he wasn’t going to let his charge venture into the presence of so many Old Earthers alone.

“The three of us will go.” Turning to the three children, he ordered, “Finish cleaning up this mess. I want your favorite possessions sorted and on your bed when we return.” The children dutifully nodded, readily accepting his authority.

**..»º*º«..**

The relative calm of earlier in the day was gone and the colonists were now readying themselves to abandon ship. Castor watched the chaos with a horrified fascination, and a too-ready acceptance. Old-Earthers and cryos – what more could be expected of them but this jostling, angry, fearful racing around? At least at some point he could retire to his own quarters on his own ship, soon to dock on the family ship, and eventually return to Montauk where his family and clan had a very comfortable existence. Maybe these cryos could be persuaded to go live on Toren. With their no-doubt ready acceptance of AI they wouldn’t be welcome on Montauk anyway. Just the thought that he was in a ship designed by AI made his skin crawl. The mindlinks shared by Castor and his cadre were as much as anyone on Montauk were prepared to accept, and that was by special dispensation because he was a Lycan. If any other poor saps had gotten the procedure, they would have eked out the rest of their miserable lives on Toren.

With any luck, his brother Egan would never hear of this fiasco. Could he have made any more mistakes than he already had? Starting with awakening Jack. Still, that act in itself wasn’t too awful in the grand scheme of things. One extra person awake, either ship could have handled that. How was he to know Jack would get it in his head to wake up every single other cryo? Imagine if there had been the full crew complement... no, he wasn’t for a moment going to entertain the idea that having a smaller number of survivors was a good thing. It was a tragedy all around, and if the people who died so long ago (and apparently, some more recently) had survived to this point, he would have figured something out.

Most of the rooms and corridors were dark now, and the remaining lights flickered. Into this chaotic scene came a confused, frail elderly woman. She went unnoticed for a while, engaged in some mission all of her own. She went from one point to another searching for something, lifting box lids and opening cabinet doors, muttering softly to herself as she went on to the next. Finally, someone seemed to take note of her and the fact that she just didn’t seem to _belong_. _New Horizon’s_ crew were wearing the abominable coveralls; _The Defiant’s_ crew were wearing the sleek black uniforms over the white frilly blouses with the cravats of varying colors signifying rank or status. This woman wore several layers of frayed, multi-colored apparel, and held an orange blanket roughly over her shoulders against the cold. Plus, she was old. Too old for either crew.

One colonist stopped in the midst of the chaos and slowly lifted a finger to point at her, and several others took note, stopping to see what could be so important in the midst of their preparations. Soon a group of nearly all the colonists had gathered around her, stopping her from her progress. Her faltering steps halted and she looked at all the strangers with squinting, rheumy eyes.

Sensing a dangerous situation in the making, Castor stepped forward intending to diffuse the building hostilities. _Haggis,_ he urgently called, _Get Fendi and Demetri here._ He knew Mr. Concannon wasn’t too far away.

“That’s her, isn’t it?” The first pointing colonist inquired, voice shaking with suspicion and rage. “The one who killed all our people?”

Cursing himself for a fool, Castor replied, “That is Kathryn Corwin, but she did not kill _all_ of your people.” He should have known that calmly explaining the facts as he understood them, including a timeline of events leading them to this point, was too much for these cryos. He himself preferred to operate from a position of knowledge. Toss facts at him and let his brain sort them out. Sometimes with help from Haggis and his cadre. They didn’t get all emotional over them, however.

“Only some of our people,” came the snide response from another.

“We can’t trust her!”

Castor agreed with that assessment, but what did they think they were going to do with her?

“Toss her out the airlock!”

Okay, even he didn’t see that one coming. His hands went up in the timeless calming gesture. “No one’s going out the airlock. I’m sure-”

Cries of “Airlock!” mingled with calls to “Lock her up!”, and into the increasingly menacing crowd rushed the frantic 18 year-old brother of the intended victim.

He tossed his arms protectively around his sister (even as it occurred to him that she probably didn’t know who he was) and shouted, “No! You can’t have her!”

“Get your crew away from her! This doesn’t concern him!”  

Castor glanced at Jack, who still wore the black uniform of his own crew. The colonists obviously didn’t recognize him as one of their own. “Mr. Corwin,” Castor began, then realized his sympathies and sense of responsibilities fell in line with those of the annoying teen standing two feet in front of him and not with this mob of uncivilized cryos. Abruptly changing the next words out of his mouth, he ordered, “Fendi, Demitri, escort Ms. Corwin to _The Defiant_.”

The colonists fell silent and Jack’s mouth dropped in shock as he tried to figure out what this meant.

With an air of authority that made the approaching Concannon proud, Fendi took the arm of the elderly woman in a light but sturdy hold and started to make his way through the crowd. The lights flickered again and a loud grinding noise came from the bowels of the ship, and the colonists began to disperse.

Jack’s frantic gaze turned in a silent plea to Castor, and in a much quieter voice he repeated, “You can’t have her. I won’t leave her, ever again.”

Seeing the quiet order of his scout ship disappearing, Castor said, “You won’t have to. Collect your niece and nephews, and you will join her.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this one! 
> 
> While you're reading this, please keep in mind that I started writing it in about 1990... so 2034 was still a long way off back then. Society has changed a lot since then, but as you'll see in the next chapter when we have Jack's flashback, not as much as the story calls for. I might change it to 2064 or so eventually, but that year will probably be upon us before we realize it too! Hopefully we'll be star-bound by then, if not Mars-bound :)
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	14. A Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack remembers a promise he made long ago back on Earth...

**Previously...**  

Jack’s frantic gaze turned in a silent plea to Castor, and in a much quieter voice he repeated, “You can’t have her. I won’t leave her, ever again.”

Seeing the quiet order of his scout ship disappearing, Castor said, “You won’t have to. Collect your niece and nephews, and you will join her.”

 

**And now...**

Jack's racing heart calmed slightly at the captain's words. He had once made a promise never to leave his sister, and it was one he meant to keep. As he watched two of the captain's crew members hurry his sister out of the crowd's midst, he thought back to that day long ago...

**Jack Corwin, 2030s, on Earth**

"How did you feel when you knifed your classmate?" The voice of the counselor, Mr. Stefani, was low, soothing, and utterly bored. Week after week with an ever-changing group of teens, yet nothing ever changed.

"It felt good, man," came the response, a mixture of bravado and boredom. The reply was always the same, whoever was on the hot seat that week, and whatever the crime was. "It felt good."

That's why they did what they did, and how they always felt about it afterwards. This time it was Cliff Taylor, the overgrown bully that Jack wouldn't be caught dead near outside of the weekly court-mandated counseling session.

Jack tuned out the droning voices. His best friend Dan caught his glance and rolled his eyes. Dan's latest sentence was 14 weeks of counseling for shoplifting. Jack grinned back, wishing the session would end. Only two more weeks of this crap, then his Tuesday afternoons would once again be his own.

"Jack... Jack!" The counselor's voice broke into the young teen’s thoughts. "Are you still with us, Jack?"

"Yeah," Jack said.

A sharp rap on the door interrupted what probably would have turned into the usual We're-All-Here-To-Help-Each-Other lecture.

"Come in," Mr. Stefani called, grateful for the interruption.

The door opened and Dr. Fix, the clinic director, stuck his head in. "Jack Corwin. Your brother telephoned. He can't pick you up today, but wants you to go straight home after session."

"Okay," Jack said, stifling his panic. Announce it to the world, you jerk, he thought. What a day to have forgotten his baseball bat. He knew better than to let his disquiet be known, though; the people in this room were just as likely to take the opportunity to mug him as any of the punks hanging out on the street. More likely, actually, seeing as they were actually convicted of various crimes and misdemeanors. What was up with Tom? His overprotective brother usually wouldn't let him go down to the corner outside their apartment building unattended much less walk 1 1/2 miles alone. Maybe he was sick. No, that wouldn't stop him. He'd come with the flu before. It must be Katy, their 11 year-old sister. _She_ must be sick. Tom would stay home to take care of her. That must be it, Jack decided, and fidgeted through the rest of the hour, eager to be gone.

When the group was finally released, Jack and Dan left together. Dan was in a mood to dawdle in order to avoid cleaning his room when he got home, but Jack was in such a hurry that his friend was forced into a near-run to keep up with him. Dan didn't care to be alone any more than he did. Why had he forgotten his bat, today of all days? How stupid could he be? Tom would kill him for being so thoughtless. He liked the smooth solid feel of the wood, and actually remembered when they had used it for playing baseball instead of for protection. A long time ago. Back before their parents decided to exercise their constitutional right of the pursuit of happiness by abandoning their three kids to pursue happiness on the sandy beaches of Mexico.

They weren't completely unprotected, though, because Dan kept a switchblade in his jacket. Tom wouldn't let Jack get a knife, but to tell the truth, he wasn't sure he wanted to carry one. Anyway, there was safety enough in numbers.

At the end of MacAdam St. they parted company, Dan continuing straight on Baldwin, Jack turning right onto Kilmore. This was the dangerous part, going through the Kilmore neighborhood. He thrust his hands in the pockets of his blue fleece jacket and tried to keep the fear out of his eyes. Put on a tough appearance, and they'll leave you alone, he told himself. Only they didn't. Three members of the Kill-Mores left their alley sanctuary and cornered him. Bix Turley, Rod Fenton and Cleo Penn. Bix was 19, stocky and usually with a deceiving grin on his face. He would act nice, like he wanted to be your friend, but cross him in any way and the snarl would come out and you'd regret it. Cleo was 17, wiry and dark, with narrow weasel eyes. Jack doubted if Cleo had ever had an original thought. He followed Bix around, mimicking him. Rod was his age, 14. They'd known each other in school before Rod dropped out two years back.

"Hey, Jack," Bix said, with a lethal smile. "Have a drink." He thrust a bottle forward.

The younger teen stepped back, to get it out of his face. "Thanks, Bix, but I can't. I have to get home."

"You're refusing my kind invitation?" The smile was slipping.

Jack was defenseless against them. Even if he had the bat he knew he'd never use it against the Kill-mores. Not from any loyalty arising from living on the same street, but because they'd beat the crap out of him the next time he came around. He suddenly held out his left hand, grateful that at least it wasn’t drugs. Bix's smile returned and he gave over the bottle. He took a big swig then passed it back.

"Come on," Bix said. He draped an arm over his shoulder. He went along, scared not to. He could spare a few minutes, the alternative being suicide.

An hour later he made his way up the five flights of stairs to the hovel he shared with Tom, Katy, and assorted vermin. He knocked twice then once again, and the door was opened from within.

"Hello, Katy," he greeted his sister, who had a graham cracker sticking out of her mouth. She smiled comically around it, then shut, locked and barred the door behind him. The apartment had three rooms. The larger main room had a sink, tiny refrigerator, and microwave in one corner, a couch along one wall that made into a bed that Tom and he made up and shared every night, and a metal card table in the center of the room. There was a tiny windowless bedroom that, fortress like, kept Katy safe at night. And finally there was a tiny closet of a bathroom. They were lucky to have one. Most of the other tenants had to share the central one on the third floor, but Tom wanted to keep Katy safe and had held out for an apartment with a bathroom of its own.

Tom was pacing around the main room, with the agitated air of someone who had important news, but had been thwarted from telling it for several hours. At the first sight of Jack, he angrily demanded, "Are you all right, Jack? Where have you been?"

Jack plopped down on the couch, still wearing his jacket. "I'm ok."

Tom's eyes narrowed and he came close and smelled his breath. "Have you been drinking?"

"Yeah. Ran into Bix and co." He leaned back and closed his eyes.

"You're lucky corporal punishment is illegal," his brother said wearily.

"Not my fault I had to walk home alone," he protested, not bothering to open his eyes.

"Not my fault you were arrested for smoking in school," Tom countered angrily.

Jack opened his eyes to see his brother glaring at him. "I couldn't help it, they cornered me."

Katy, forgotten by the door, swallowed the last of the cracker and padded silently, in slippers, to stand between them. Putting on an engaging smile she said, "You had some news, didn't you, Tom?"

Tom returned her smile and the tension broke. She was always playing peacemaker. He patted the couch beside him and put his arm around his sister when she sat down.

"I’m sorry, Tom," Jack murmured, and was rewarded with his smile.

With his audience intact and expectant, Tom's look became a strange mixture of apprehension and excitement. "I got a letter today." Katy and Jack looked at each other in surprise. Letters were almost unheard of anymore. "It's from Dad."  

After a stunned silence, Jack was the first to speak up. "What's the bastard want?"

"Us." Tom pulled a piece of paper from his shirt pocket and unfolded it. "Here, you can read it."

Jack examined it with distaste, Katy pulling on his arm to see it too. The sight of his father's bold handwriting in black ink brought the memories rushing back. He started trembling.   
  
**Dear Tom, Jack and Katy,**  
**It's been a few years, I know, but it's time we were again a family. I will be sending for you May 23rd at which time you will join me and my wife in Houston. I regret to tell you that your mother and I divorced three years ago. I have remarried and am anxious to have the family together again. I have plans...**

That was as far as he got before rushing to the bathroom to retch into the toilet. His siblings gave him his privacy. When he rejoined them a minute later Tom asked if he was okay. He nodded mutely, sat again, and continued reading.   
  
**I have plans for all of us. I'm sure you must have heard of the Telstar Project. I'm on the engineering team and unless something goes drastically wrong, will be a member of the crew. Families are wanted for the colony ship, and that is where you come in. After joining me in Houston you will continue with your education so that you can be a part of history also. Be ready on the 23rd.**  
**Dad**

"The Telstar Project, that's the colony ship, isn't it?" Katy asked, a slight puzzled frown on her face.

"Yes, it is."

"And Dad's going on it? And he wants to take us? That's like..." Katy couldn't think of what it was like. "That's really big!"

Tom looked to his little brother. "Jack?"

Jack wouldn't be so easily sidetracked into forgiving his father. "So he needs us all of a sudden. So what? They must require them to have families otherwise he'd never bother with us. And Mom, he's just going to leave her behind? Doesn't even care about her? And he expects us to do that too? Forget it!" He pulled away from Katy's hand and stomped to the door.

"Hey!" Tom said, but he ignored him. He made it down one flight of stairs before his brother caught up to him.

"Leave me alone!"

Tom grabbed him by the upper arms and held him motionless against the wall. "Come on back inside and talk."

"I want to be alone!" Jack struggled to get away but his brother held firm.

"You can be alone in Katy's room. Come on, I’m not letting you out on the street this time of day."

Jack allowed myself to be dragged back to the apartment. Once inside he broke free and locked himself in Katy's room. He lay on Katy's bed and stared at the ceiling, blurred by his tears. Why couldn't the bastard just leave them alone? Why now, after all these years? They were doing just fine without him. Sure, things were sometimes a little rough. Like their neighborhood. And their apartment, which sucked. And Katy and him never being allowed out of it for fear they'd be murdered. And Tom having to work two jobs in addition to going to college.

Okay, so maybe they weren't doing so fine. Did that mean they were going to pull up stakes and go running back to Daddy just because he snapped his fingers? And then have to be grateful to the bastard? Jack would sooner die. Let Tom and Katy go to Houston, he would run away. But even as he thought it, he knew he would do no such thing. His brother and sister were his entire world and wherever they went, he would go too.

Feeling something digging into his back, he reached under the tousled covers and pulled out a dilapidated stuffed cat. Katy's Sylvester, having seen better days. She'd been given it when she was three and it was still her favorite. Not that she had a lot of toys to choose from. Sitting up in the bed and brushing away his tears he looked about the room. It was tiny, just large enough for the twin bed and a small dresser alongside it. The white paint on the dresser was peeling, matching the headboard on the bed. He was mildly surprised neither Tom nor he had noticed it before. They'd have to repaint them one of these days. Or not. If they went to live with dear old dad this stuff would probably end up in the junkheap.

Well, hiding in his little sister's bedroom wasn't going to help anyone. Placing the threadbare toy back under the covers, he unlocked the door and looked out. Tom and Katy were still on the sofa. Tom held out an arm and he joined them. May 23rd was just two days away. Without really discussing it, they realized that they would indeed join their father and his new wife. They didn't have much of a choice.

**..»º*º«..**

The next morning Tom was in a panic, trying to pack while fretting about finals the next week. "He didn't even give us a phone number," he griped. "I can't leave now, I have finals next week.”

"I don't mind missing school," Jack put in cheerfully, finding the only bright spot in this whole affair.

"Don't be stupid. You still have a month left in the school year. College is different. I'm not going to put in months of work and then lose it all at the last minute." He waved a plastic dish in his right hand, looking for a box to put it in. "And don't just sit there. Try helping for a change."

Jack glared at this unfair order. To his way of thinking he spent all his time helping out. Tom didn't notice his attitude, however, so finally he got up and half-heartedly sealed up a box. "Look, there's not much to pack up. Don't you have studying to do, or some kind of experiment you need to check up on? I can finish up here."

Tom paused, his eyebrows lifting in hope. "I do, as a matter of fact. You'll finish up?"

"Sure," Jack said, trying not to sound too eager for his brother to be gone. It was a warm beautiful day outside and he was tired of spending it indoors. He might as well have gone to school like Katy had.

"You'll have to pick Katy up at school. Don't forget," Tom warned as he changed from a ragged t-shirt to a cleaner one.

"I won't. Although why she wanted to go is beyond me."

With a last glance at the mess in the room, Tom grabbed his lab book and left. Jack gave his brother a twenty-minute head start, during which time he carelessly tossed various possessions into boxes. Tom wouldn't get home til late, and he knew he'd be able to get Katy to help him finish packing later. For now, he had better things to do. Taking the last eight dollars from the jar on the counter and the baseball bat from the corner, he left. The punks loitering around the high school were fortunately too doped up to bother him.

He found his best friend in the hallway before fourth period. "Come on," he said. "Ditch and come to the mall with me."

"I probably shouldn't," Dan said, "My parents are still mad that I got arrested for ditching last week. I'd like to get them off my case at least once before we graduate." Graduation being three years off.

"Okay, but it's your last chance. Tomorrow I’m gone."

"What?"

"Yup, our old man is sending for us. We're moving to Houston tomorrow." Jack tried to sound happy about the prospect.

"No way! You're moving! Your father actually sent for you?"

"Yeah."

"Forget school! Let's go!"

They stopped by their lockers, Dan to drop off his books, Jack to collect his things for the final time. He didn't bother to turn in his books or even inform the school that he was leaving. If it was important then let his father deal with it.

By 1:20 they were at the mall. They bought sodas and candy and walked around. The mall was sort-of safe, because there were security cameras everywhere. Any sign of trouble and the AI monitors would deal with it. Jack filled Dan in on everything he knew about the move to Houston, which wasn't very much, and then by mutual silent agreement they quit talking about it. There was a retro arcade that they sometimes frequented so they went inside to kill some time and soon got caught up in a game that was a mash-up of medieval knights with space-age lasers.

The video arcade didn't have a clock, but after their third round Jack asked, "What time's it?"

Dan glanced at his watch. "Almost 3:15."

Fear shot through him. "I’m supposed to pick up Katy."

Dan's face echoed his own concern. "Maybe she's still there. I'll go with you."

Together they raced to the elementary school. 3:37. School had been out 37 minutes and the yard was deserted. His heart thudding heavily in his chest, Jack said, "I’m going to check inside. Maybe she's waiting with her teacher."

Dan nodded. "I'll check around the playground."

Jack ran inside, slowing to a walk just before reaching his sister's classroom. Her teacher was at her desk grading papers. "Mrs. Turner?" She looked up and smiled. "Have you seen Katy?"

"Not since school let out..." She frowned slightly. "Was she supposed to wait for you today?"

"Yes... well, no, she thought Tom would be coming, but I was supposed to get here sooner."

Mrs. Turner smiled encouragingly at the young teen. She had been his teacher when he'd been in the sixth grade, and since then they'd developed somewhat of a friendship as he frequently picked up his sister. "I’m sure she's just gone home. Why don't you go on home and I'll bet she's waiting for you."

Jack nodded, trying to control his apprehension. "Thanks, Mrs. Turner."

As he turned to go, she called after him, "Good luck in Houston! I'll miss seeing you around here!"

Jack muttered his thanks once again and ran out. Dan was waiting for him in the yard in front of the school. Jack mutely shook his head and together they set off for home. At the intersection of MacAdam and Kilmore, Dan continued with his friend rather than turning towards his own home.

"You don't have to come. She's probably already there," Jack said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. No need for you to get in any more trouble than you're already in." And no need for him to be around to watch Tom kill him when he realizes he lost Katy.

"Okay, but come on by if you need any more help looking."

"Okay."

The two boys awkwardly said their goodbyes, not knowing if or when they would ever see each other again. Then Jack raced for home.

The apartment was quiet. Katy's room was empty. He sat on her bed, trying to think. Where could she have gone? Home with a friend? She had lots of them - saying goodbye to them was the whole reason she had gone to school this last day. Maybe they'd gone out for a treat after school. Only she would never do that without getting word to one of this brothers. Tom was going to kill him, that was for certain. To stop his trembling before he fell completely apart, he forced myself to get up. Taking the Swiss army knife from the kitchen area he left the apartment.

Jack walked three blocks from the apartment before he realized that he didn't know where Katy's friends lived. Tom had always been the one to accompany her to and from their homes. He didn't even know their last names. He considered asking some of the shop owners along the street if they'd seen her, but didn't want to advertise that an 11 year old girl was wandering around unattended. What to do? Maybe he should get Tom. The college was another six blocks away, and he at least knew where his brother would be this time of day. The thought of facing his brother was too much, however, so he kept walking around searching for her. About an hour later the sky darkened and it started to rain. He went home again just to see if she had shown up, but there was still no sign of her. There was no help for it, he'd have to get Tom. He slowly made his way to the college, looking for her along the way, hoping beyond hope that she would suddenly appear safe and sound and Tom would never find out how irresponsible he had been. No such luck.

There were two other students in the robotics lab with Tom, all working on the same project. Tom's face lit up at seeing him, then a questioning look came into his eyes. "Where's Kate?"

Jack swallowed. "I have to talk to you. Out in the hallway." He didn't relish the thought of being yelled at in front of the other students.

Tom was well on his way to being angry when they got to the deserted hallway. "Where's Kate?"

Not looking into his brother's eyes, which he knew from experience would be black with anger, he said,  "She's... I don't know where she is."

"You don't know? How'd you lose her? Did you pick her up at school?"

Jack shook his head, trying to keep from shaking. "No, I was late and she was gone. I checked at home and she wasn't there. I've been looking for a long time, and I can't find her." His voice broke at the last words.

Tom gripped his shoulder hard and shook him once. Tears came to his eyes and he said, "I’m sorry, Tom. I didn't know what else to do."

Tom released him and got his things from the lab. Giving his younger brother a murderous glance he stalked out. Jack followed miserably behind. They walked four blocks in silence before Tom asked, "Did you check with the neighbors?"

"No. She never talks to any of them, and I didn’t want them to know she was gone."

They entered the apartment building and made their way up to their hovel. At the sight of all their still-unpacked possessions in disarray amid all the empty boxes, and no sign of Katy, Tom became even angrier. "You wait here in case she comes back," he ordered. "Don't you dare set foot outside this apartment. Understand?"

Jack nodded, afraid to speak.

"I swear, Jack, law or no law, when I get home I’m going to beat the hell out of you." With that promise, Tom strode out.

Jack paced around the empty apartment. Finally, to distract himself, he began to pack. Forty-five minutes later the door opened and Tom appeared, Katy in tow, her eyes red from the scolding she’d received on their way home.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked her. "Did anyone hurt you? Where've you been?" He stayed on the far side of the room, ashamed to approach Katy, afraid to approach Tom.

"She's alright," Tom said tightly. "When no one showed up at her school she went to the public library." He ordered her to go to bed, and she fled. Tom then turned and contemplated Jack with a look of contempt that made him cringe. "What were you doing that you couldn't pick her up? And don't tell me you were packing, because I’m not in the mood for lies."

Jack had never seen his brother this angry. "I’m s-sorry," he stammered.

"You'll be sorrier. What were you doing?"

"I went to school to say goodbye to Dan, then we went to the mall. I just lost track of the time! I’m sorry!"

Tom's hands went to the belt around his waist and Jack backed up, placing the table between them. His brother had never hit him before. Never. Besides it being illegal, violence wasn't in his nature. The door to Katy's room opened, and she emerged in her pajamas. "Get to bed," Tom ordered, not taking his eyes from the teen doing his best to inch away.

"I just want to go the bathroom," their little sister protested.

"Later."

She disappeared again into her room.

Tom doubled the belt and Jack felt sick, knowing there was no way out of this. Tom stood between him and the door, and even if he weren't, he knew he would obey this brother who had taken care of him the last two years. Plus, he knew he deserved it. His actions of the day had led to all this misery – Katy's crying in her bedroom, Tom's anger, and his own disgrace and imminent punishment. And this was the _good_ outcome – it could have turned out so much worse if anyone had found Katy. Tom eyed him half a minute, experimentally, absent-mindedly whacking the belt against his own leg. After half a minute of tense silence, he quietly ordered, "Come here."

Jack wanted to obey, that is, a small part of his mind knew he should, but he remained behind the table as if paralyzed.

"Look, Jack, I'll give you a choice. You can bend over the table or bend over the sofa. Which will it be?"

Some choice. Still he hesitated.

"Make your decision by the count of three, or I'll make you drop your jeans first."

Jack was over the back of the couch before the count reached two. This was a new experience for both of them. The first three whacks were spaced unevenly and didn't hurt too much, then Tom seemed to get the hang of it. The blows came harder and faster. When Jack fidgeted after about the tenth, Tom paused long enough to reach out with his left hand to pin him against the back of the sofa, then gave him another five, even harder. Jack cried, of course. He'd been ready to even before the licking.

After releasing him, Tom crossed to the table, sat atop it, laid the belt to one side, and watched his little brother. Jack remained bent over the sofa, head on his arms, sobbing. He wished Tom would quit watching him and go away. His legs felt shaky and he didn't know if he could walk. He stayed, though, and when his tears slowed a few minutes later, he painfully straightened up and realized he didn't know what to do with himself. He hurt too much to keep standing there, and he definitely didn't feel like sitting. He didn't have a bedroom to hide away in, and he couldn't stomp out of the apartment. There wasn't even a corner to escape his brother's gaze. He wiped his eyes awkwardly then shoved his hands in his pockets.

"What now?" he asked.

Tom got up and embraced him, holding onto him so long that he couldn't help crying again.

 "I’m sorry," Jack said. "I'll never leave her again. I promise."

With a final squeeze Tom let him go, saying, "Change your clothes then we'll eat."

He helped Jack take his jeans off and pull on his pajama bottoms, then he warmed up some soup which Jack ate standing up. He wasn't at all hungry, and was already too hot to want soup, but it seemed the path of least resistance to take it.

"What about Katy?" he had asked, when he noticed his older brother getting just two bowls out of the box they'd been packed in.

"Bed without supper, that's her punishment. Unless you think I should spank her too, instead."

"No," he said hastily.

Eating soup standing up was difficult and took his full attention. He didn't notice that Tom had quit eating and was leaning back in his chair watching him until he dropped his spoon with a clang and said, "Well, hell. Quit sniffling, Jack. Katy!" he called, "Come in here!"

Katy emerged fearfully from her room, her eyes red from fresh tears. As Tom got another bowl out, Jack asked, "You’re not gonna spank her too, are you?"

"No. Look, kids, this is our last evening together in this rat hole, our last evening as just the three of us. It's miserable enough without being drawn out any longer. I'm sorry it all turned out the way it did - I’m almost sorry I whipped you, Jack. Almost, because you sure deserved it, and it was a long time in coming. And if you want the truth, Katy, I should take you over my knee and paddle you but good, because you had absolutely no business leaving the school grounds without one of us. But you lucked out tonight, because I wore myself out beating Jack, and besides, I think you've cried enough for one evening. Now, we're all going to eat, then I’m going to finish packing, then everyone's off to bed. I'll give you both five seconds to dry your eyes, then the next one with tears tonight is going to get whacked. Understand?"

Jack and his sister nodded and hastily dried their eyes. The three ate in silence, all too emotionally drained from the strain of the afternoon. Then Katy did the dishes while Jack laid on his stomach on the couch watching Tom pack.

The oldest brother fussed around for ten or fifteen minutes then finally shook his head. "We're not going to need any of this junk in Texas. Let's leave it for the rats. Everyone just pack a small bag, okay?"

Katy went to her room to put her few favorite possessions in a little backpack. Jack just closed his eyes tiredly and probably would have fallen asleep if Tom hadn't demanded he get up and put his things together too.

"Who knows how early you'll have to leave tomorrow, I want you to be ready."

Jack was still smarting too much to grumble or disobey, so he got up and shuffled around. He didn't have many things he cared about; just a few books, a metal toy Mustang car that Tom had given him when he was little, a small 100-year old 8mm movie camera he had no film for, three reels of 8mm film he'd never been able to watch, having no projector, and an old picture of his family, taken seven years ago right before his parents split. The top left corner was torn where he had started to tear his father out of the picture. Tom had walked in on him and rescued it, saying he'd regret it someday. So the bastard was still there, dark haired, smiling at Mom, hands on Tom's shoulders. The day hadn't yet arrived that he would have regretted it. It took all of five minutes for him to put these things together in a plastic bag, then Tom mercifully made the sofa into a bed and let him fall asleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, would you like to hear more of Jack's time on Earth? The very next chapter will be back on the spaceships (all written already!), but after that it would be easy to incorporate more of the backstory. Same thing with Castor and the others. I think I'll be adding some of their backstories as we go along :)
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	15. The Surety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack learns what being the surety means.

After collecting his younger relatives, Jack was unceremoniously escorted to _The Defiant_. His nephews and niece were excited to see the new ship. There was some slight sadness at leaving the ship where they had spent their entire lives, but the children were far from stupid and realized it was necessary. Thanks to Mr. Wright’s foresight, they had each packed their favorite things into a bag and were ready and waiting to go when Jack returned for them. Mr. Wright had actually been thinking the children would go with the rest of the colonists to one of the shuttles, but either way, they were ready.

Hugely relieved to leave behind the growing nightmare that was _New Horizon_ and its occupants, Jack tried to stay quiet and undemanding through the whole process of transitioning his family to the newer ship. His sole question had been, “Where’s Katy?”, to which he received the reassuring reply that she was already on board _The Defiant_ , having been taken there while he was getting the children.

Castor had to remain on _New Horizon_ to deal with the colonists, so Marcus took the lead in organizing living arrangements. Kathryn was given quarters in a hastily converted section of the med bay, because Dr. Seka wanted to do a full workup on her. The long-term effects of spaceflight were well-known, but that was for intentional flights, well-stocked with food and medicine. A teenage girl awakening from cryogenic sleep and spending years alone without proper nutrition or medical care was a different matter. Her mind already appeared ravaged, and the doctor wanted to help. Plus, given her history of boldly charging forward with a plan to achieve a goal, even to the point of murdering innocents... no one really trusted Katy to be alone or with others. In med bay she could have a modicum of privacy along with constant care and attention, whether from Dr. Seka, one of the apprentices, or one of her young relatives. If she managed to evade all of them, there was still the ever present eye of Haggis.

Once away from the colonist horde, as he thought of them, Caelin was very pleased with the turn of events. Jack was coming over! It would still only be for a matter of days or weeks, but he was still excited. He and Mr. Wright had returned shortly before the Corwins came, and he had stood by while rooming arrangements were discussed. He knew better than to interrupt the adults, but during a lull in the conversation when Marcus and Dr. Seka were discussing whether Jack and the children could share a room (there being only one spare on board), or whether they should be farmed out to various crew members, Caelin spoke up.

“Jack can share my quarters,” he quietly offered.

All eyes turned to him. Marcus, Dr. Seka, Fendi, Demetri, Mr. Wright swiveled as one to look at him. He squirmed a little at the thoughtful glance Mr. Wright gave him; perhaps he should have asked permission first.

“If that’s okay with Mr. Wright, of course,” he continued, as if he had meant to check with his guardian all along.

“That’s up to you,” Mr. Wright said. “A word first?”

He led his charge around the corner and spoke quietly. “You would have a witness when I have to discipline you,” he cautioned.

Caelin felt himself redden in embarrassment. “That’s alright. Maybe he could leave the room for a few minutes.” Forcing himself to maintain eye contact with the taller, broader man, he said, “It’s not like it happens all the time, anyway.”

Mr. Wright smiled at the wistfulness in the youthful voice. The teen hadn’t had an easy time of it since leaving home, but he had kept his cheerfulness and hope, and the man admired him for it. He had been appalled when he had originally been given this assignment of guarding the middle child of the head of the Hall clan, but now, despite his best efforts to maintain a distance from the boy, he had to admit he was growing fond of him.

“Very well,” he agreed, guiding the teen back to the waiting group with a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s alright with you, then, Mr. Wright?” Marcus inquired.

“Aye, it’s alright.” He steered Caelin towards their quarters, to make adjustments for Jack.

**..»º*º«..**

“This is the most awesomest thing ever!” Trey exclaimed. He and his brother and sister were running here and there exploring everything in sight, and it was all Jack to do to even attempt to keep tabs on them.

“This way,” Renny said, trying to usher the kids into the corridor which held most of the crew quarters. “Please! This way!”

Jack might have laughed at Renny’s exasperation, but he was still too rattled by the mob scene on the colony ship. “Trey! Austin! Kelly!”

The children ignored him, of course. What were the wishes of two teenagers compared to exploring a cool futuristic spaceship! They ran circles around Jack and Renny checking out all the neat gadgets and screens and anything else they could see or get their hands on. They might have continued for some time if not for the timely appearance of Caelin and Mr. Wright.

“Children!” Mr. Wright said, and the three instantly stopped their mad dashing about. He hadn’t shouted or yelled, but just the deep timbre of his voice was enough to make them straighten up. That, and the memory of the smacks he had given the boys earlier. Seeing he had their attention, he ordered them to follow Renny to their new room.

“Our _own_ room?” Kelly asked.

“For the three of you to share,” Renny said, then barely got out of the way as the children ran past him to check out their new room.

Jack followed, unsure where he was meant to go, but glad that the children and his sister were taken care of. The quarters for the children had four fold down bunks, and they all immediately claimed their territory and began checking out the features of their new space.

“You’ll be in my quarters,” Caelin said from a few steps behind him. “If that’s alright with you.” He was suddenly uncertain as to whether Jack would like that, or would prefer to share with his young relatives. Hearing the commotion from the children, he knew where _he_ would rather be, but maybe Jack wanted to take the fourth bunk and keep an eye on them.

Jack grinned suddenly and turned from the boisterous scene in front of him. “It’s bound to be quieter than here, right?”

“Sure is!” Caelin happily led the way a few doors down to his quarters. “There’s a second bunk that folds down. The lower one is all set up for me already. Do you mind having the top one?”

Jack folded down the upper bunk and patted it with both hands in satisfaction. “I just spent the last 400 years sleeping in a tin can. The upper bunk looks like paradise.” Having finally located his own small bag of belongings from _New Horizon’s_ stores, he tossed it on the bunk. “Thanks, Caelin.”

Mr. Wright was watching from nearby, of course, but soon went to his own room. Caelin watched him go, then uncomfortably turned towards Jack. “Mr. Wright has an adjoining room, and unless I’m in trouble he likes to keep the door open.”

Jack raised an eyebrow. “In trouble, eh?” Then in a whisper that wouldn’t be heard in the next room he said, “Then I guess we’ll have to keep you in trouble so the door stays shut!”

Caelin laughed. “No, thanks. I much prefer to stay on his good side. It’s kind of... painful... when I’m in trouble.”

“Ohhh, yeah, no, we don’t want that.” With a glance towards the other room, Jack softly asked, “Painful how, exactly?”

Telling himself he had nothing to be embarrassed about, since everyone he knew got punished the same way, Caelin shrugged as if it was no big deal. “I get a couple licks with his belt usually, if it’s just a warning. A full strapping if I’m really in trouble.”

Jack had already guessed what the slightly younger teen meant, since Mr. Concannon had already said as much to him during their earlier discussion. Before he could say anything, however, Caelin said, “I know it was illegal back in your time, right? But it’s common again now.”

Whatever Jack had been about to reply now changed to words of disbelief. “Yes, but how in the world would you know a thing like that?”

Caelin grinned again. “I always liked history. I planned to study it before coming to _The Defiant_.”

“So why did you come here? Why aren’t you at college studying history? Wait, do they still have colleges?”

“Yes, there are still colleges and universities,” Caelin laughed. “Most people learn wherever they are, though. We don’t go off to college like they did in your time.”

“So why aren’t you still learning history if you could do it here even?”

Caelin sat on his bunk with a despondent shrug, and Jack regretted asking. “Not much call for it here, and I have to be useful.”

Jack sat on the other end of the lower bunk. “So, what are you studying now?”

“Astronautics, spaceflight, mathematics...”

“Can’t you change your mind and go home and study what you want?”

“I didn’t... it’s... I was sent here, it’s not my decision. I can’t go home again.”

Jack felt a rising sense of alarm. Did he just deliver himself and his family over to kidnappers? What did Caelin mean, he couldn’t go home? “What?!”

Caelin sighed. He hadn’t really wanted to get into it with his new friend, but he could see the questions building. “I’m the surety.” There, he had said it.

Jack tilted his head. “Um... what?”

“The surety.” Confusion still showed on Jack’s face, so Caelin tried to explain. “This ship belongs to the Lycans, and the Lycans are one of the Five Clans on Montauk. The Five Clans rule the planet.”

Jack nodded to show he was following so far.

“So, Toren, my planet, the one I come from, is ruled by clans also. My family is one of the most powerful.”

“So why are you here and not on one of their ships?”

“’Cos I’m the surety. Toren doesn’t have the resources Montauk does. It’s overcrowded and well, if you end up there, it’s a hard life. Really, Jack, I don’t know where the colonists are going to end up, but you being here, on this ship, it’s a good thing for you and your sister and the kids.”

“Isn’t that... I don’t know, disloyal to say something against your home?”

“Maybe.” Caelin’s voice grew hard. “But I don’t know if I care right now. I was given up to be the surety, so the rest of them on Toren can go to hell.”

Feeling way out of his depth, Jack could only nod slightly. He didn’t really understand what was going on here, but he wanted to show his support.

Caelin’s vehemence lessened as he said, “Well, except my family, of course. I love them and we had a nice life... but anyway, Toren’s at war with itself. There are 17 countries and 14 of them are fighting.”

Jack wanted to ask why they didn’t just nuke each other if they were at war, but figured that would just show his ignorance. By now there were surely even more deadly weapons than nuclear ones.

“Montauk is neutral, but over the years there have been... aggressions against it. The last peace treaty with my clan called for a member of our family to stay with the Lycans.” Caelin stopped, hoping Jack would understand and he wouldn’t have to explain further. Seeing only confusion, however, he took a deep breath. “I’m the surety against further aggression. If the Hall Clan attacks the Lycan Clan, my life is forfeit.”

Jack’s jaw dropped. “You’re a hostage?!”

“No! Yes, kind of. But no.” Caelin shook his head. “I’m the surety.”

Jack nodded towards the door. “And they go along with it?”

“They don’t have a choice either, really. It’s our families and the councils that set it up. Someday, maybe it’ll change, but for now...” He looked up at Jack, for some reason not wanting him to think badly of his captors. “But it’s not all bad. I mean, I get to be here on _The Defiant_! The Captain lets me learn alongside the apprentices and I’m hoping he’ll let me be one.”

“You want to be on the crew of your enemies?”

Caelin couldn’t understand it either, to be honest. He just knew he was making the best of an impossible situation, one neither he nor Castor had chosen. There wasn’t any end to his duty as the surety except death. Hopefully his family loved him enough not to seal his fate by taking action against the Lycans or any of the other Five Clans on Montauk. He secretly doubted they did, or they wouldn’t have given him up. He suspected they would love him even less and less as time went on. Right now he was their beloved child, and it was human nature to protect children, wasn’t it? His family had recent happy memories of him. As time went by, however, he would grow up and would become just a distant memory and why should the existence of some person they scarcely remembered prevent them from attempting to take Montauk again? He wasn’t going to explain his secret worries, however. In reply to Jack’s question he quietly said, “There’s no going home again. Not ever. I can’t think of them as my enemies, because there _is_ a peace treaty, and I hope it lasts. If it does, I want to do something with my life. I don’t want to be useless and do _nothing_.”

Jack didn’t fully understand all the surety stuff, but he could understand Caelin’s reasoning, and he found it remarkably similar to his own. There was no going back for him either. Not ever. And he was only 18, he wanted to do something with his own life too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, but it explains some things :)
> 
> Off to the conference tomorrow, and back in a week! Thanks for reading :)


	16. A Late Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castor and Concannon meet with the colonists to discuss their next moves.

**Late That Night**

Not for the first time since making contact with _New Horizon_ , Castor Lycan wondered why he had wanted this mission. He had always jumped at the chance to escape the monotony of constant study and duty on _The Triumph_ , of course. A large part of it, which he didn’t mind admitting to himself, was the desire to make Egan proud of him. Egan had stood up for him and his cadre ten years back when they’d all gotten illegally mindlinked. His future could have been forfeit, not that he would have faced official repercussions, being a Lycan, but he could have been forbidden from holding any sort of position within the family businesses or even banished from Montauk. Egan had stepped up and arranged for his entire cadre to enter the Guard and join his own ship. If he hadn’t given them that opportunity, Castor’s lifelong dream of joining the Guard wouldn’t have happened. Marcus and Demetri easily followed him. Kyle probably would have done something else with his life, but being mindlinked, his own options were limited too.

The last member of their cadre, Fendi, had only been nine when the others became mindlinked. He was only half-cadre Castor thought. He’d been brought in to the group at the age of seven because of trouble at home. The others had not been the least bit impressed to have a shy little boy join them when they were all adventurous (and somewhat obnoxious) preteens. After some initial hiccups, however, they came to view their erstwhile 5th wheel as a mascot and little brother, and Fendi had blossomed into the self-confident young man he was today. Being still too young when the others joined in their early teen years, Fendi had remained at Lachappelle with tutors until he grew a bit, then he willingly followed the others into the Space Guard. Not being mindlinked, his options had been and still were wide open.

So, yes, gratitude to his older brother Egan played a part of Castor’s willingness to volunteer for missions. The chance to command his own ship played a huge part. Now, however, as he left the bridge of _New Horizon,_ he half-regretted it. The colonists were obstinate and aggravating, and neither he nor Concannon had been able to sway their minds. He had spent all night with the leaders of the cryo crew – leaders being a loose term, as except for Grayson and Brown, they all seemed to be self-appointed, jostling for position at the conference table. He had laid out the plan only to discover that _New Horizon’s_ crew didn’t particularly want to follow it. Desperate people on Earth and Toren would kill to be offered a home on Montauk and Castor could scarcely wrap his mind around the idea that the colonists wanted to go their own way.

“Which planet is closest?” Grayson had asked.

“Toren,” Castor replied, then in good conscience added, “But you’d be better off returning to Earth instead of setting a course for Toren.” Even as he described the warring planet in an effort to sway their opinion towards Montauk, he realized he didn’t especially want them on his home planet, with the way they had so easily turned into a mob against Katie. Mobs, so uncouth.

In the end, after hours and hours of discussion and debate, the occasional shutting down of the electricity lending a sense of urgency to the proceedings, the deciding factor had been the clans.

“So, Montauk is ruled by five clans?” a woman asked with a disparaging air.

“Yes, the Five Clans,” Castor patiently reiterated.

“Is there any unsettled territory on your planet?” Brown enquired.

Castor held back an eye-roll at the thought that after centuries of colonization, some part of the planet would be unclaimed. “No, not on Montauk.”

“Toren has unclaimed land,” Concannon put in, and Castor glanced at him in surprise. The older man had remained largely silent during the discussions, except for laying out the status of _New Horizon’s_ engineering issues. Concannon’s eyes flicked briefly on his before describing the small pockets of unsettled lands and Castor realized he wasn’t the only one to find the colonists distasteful. It seemed his mentor didn’t feel any great need to persuade them to come to Montauk either.

“Toren is currently at war,” Castor wearily repeated for what he felt was the hundredth time. “And the unsettled lands are at the edges of society-”

“But it has cities, nations? Chances for opportunity?” Brown pressed.

“Well, yes,” Castor reluctantly agreed. Cities teeming with cesspits of humanity, more like. Nations clawing their way to the top. Toren was also ruled by clans, but they were more numerous and much less powerful than on Montauk. Montauk’s Five Clans met in regular councils to peacefully make decisions regarding their planet. On Toren every clan was out for itself. Toren had no injunction against technology, either, and its AI was nearly as bad as Earth’s.

After an all-night session of plotting courses amidst discussions of the two planets, the colonists hit upon their own plan. They were going to launch the shuttles and abandon _New Horizon_ with a course set for Toren. Castor offered the assistance of the Space Guard in escorting them to their new home.

“At what price?” Grayson asked.

Feeling slightly affronted at the mercenary question, Castor caught a sense of rueful mirth from Kyle who was keeping sleepy tabs on the proceedings via mindlink from his station on _The Defiant’s_ bridge. He was still on lockdown, along with Kara and Fendi, in case the colonists chose to try their luck at taking over the scout ship.

_It’s a fair question,_ Kyle thought.

_The Guard doesn’t require payment for assistance,_ Castor indignantly thought back to his friend.

_Maybe not, but the Lycans do_.

Castor wanted to reply in the negative, but stopped as he realized Kyle was correct. Kyle and his parents had come from Toren, the parents indenturing themselves for 20 years to the Lycans to pay for their passage and their new life on Montauk. They had a cottage of their own on a small but nice plot of land at the edge of the estate. Kyle had been a wide-eyed boy of six when they arrived, but he and Castor didn’t become friends until several years later when the cadre was being formed. Letting the son of indentured servants join a cadre with aristocrats had been highly unusual, but Concannon thought it might be beneficial to all the boys. The big draw of accepting the indenture was ensuring a future for their children, and Kyle was soon followed by two younger sisters and a brother. Castor knew his oldest friend chafed at the sacrifice his parents had made, but having visited with them over the years, he knew they had no regrets. They still had a few years to go, then they had the option to remain at Lachappelle for higher wages, keeping their cottage, or they would be free to leave. They seemed content and Castor thought they meant to stay. Kyle was firmly ensconced in his life now, but occasionally Castor was brought up short with the reminder that they weren’t social equals.

“What do you want in return?” the same demanding woman asked, bringing the young captain’s attention back to the bridge of _New Horizon_.

Castor immediately thought of the seed bank. “We want nothing in return.”

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “I don’t believe that.”

Castor willed himself not to react. For a society based upon honor such as he came from, having someone doubt him like that was unacceptable.

_Ignoramuses,_ Kyle thought. _Just let them float if they want._

_I can’t in good conscience do that,_ Castor replied. Out loud, he tried to reassure the colonists. “Our branch of the Guard are peacekeepers. We aid and assist ships in trouble, and guard Montauk. We came in response to a distress call from _New Horizon_ , and are here merely to lend aid.”

More debate amongst the colonists ensued, with them turning slightly towards each other as if to exclude Castor and Concannon from the discussion. The young captain gave his mentor a slight, tired smile. Would this night never end?

A new, sleepy voice entered their heads. _I thought the plan was for them to board the shuttles, but stay inside the bay until_ The Triumph _comes,_ Demetri thought.

_That’s the logical thing to do,_ Castor replied.

_Never can tell about cryos,_ Kyle put in with a superior air from the bridge of _The Defiant_. _They aren’t very smart._

Castor smirked, but felt duty bound to defend the hapless, unlucky cryos. _They might be out of touch, but I scarcely think they’re stupid._

_No, not stupid, just ignorant_ , Marcus thought, _Being asleep all those centuries._ Even over mindlink his concern for the crew of _New Horizon_ came through, and Castor felt a touch of affection for the slightly younger cadre member. Where Kyle was often abrupt and judgmental, Marcus typically sought to appease and bring together.

_Marcus, when did you wake up?_ Kyle thought.

_A few minutes ago. You all are so loud._

_Should have put on your diffuser,_ Kyle unsympathetically replied _._

Castor smiled again as he heard Marcus yawning, soon followed by Demetri. Concannon raised an eyebrow and Castor gave him a slight shrug with a rueful smile. He wasn’t going to mention his cadre’s conversation in front of the colonists. To his knowledge, none of them knew they were mindlinked. Did Jack know? He was too tired to devote any effort to figuring out if he did.

Jack. Why did he have to come to mind? What was he supposed to do with Jack and his sister, not to mention three children? If the colonists ended up on Toren, he supposed Jack and the others would have to be given the choice as well. Just because the colonists seemed... Castor glanced over at the angry, frightened people taking up most of the table, talking over each other in their efforts to be heard. Well, just because _he_ wouldn’t want to spend any time with them, he realized there was a lot to be said for familiarity. Jack might want to accompany his fellow colonists just on the basis of their shared history on Earth. If they all went to Montauk, the three children could continue (start?) their education, perhaps join a cadre. No, they already made up their own cadre. So yes, they could be educated and become contributing members of society when they were adults. Katy would be taken care of. She was already under Dr. Seka’s care, and on Montauk she would have the best physicians. Jack... what to do with Jack? Apparently his education was complete. Complete, but practically worthless. He was too old to join a cadre, he was...

“Thank you. We accept your offer.”

It took Castor a moment for the clipped words spoken by Grayson to register.

“Very well. I suggest-”

“But only until we’re able to get assistance from Toren.”

Castor shut his mouth, clenching his fists under the table, then gave a terse nod. “Very well.” _Let them float, indeed._ “Is there anything on your ship that you would to make arrangements for? Equipment? Personal effects?”

“I believe we have everything we’ll require.”

Taking a deep breath, Castor asked, “What about the seed bank?”

Grayson snorted. “Useful if we were colonizing a planet, but apparently we won’t be. It can stay here.”

_Woah,_ the members of the cadre thought as one, and Castor felt his heart speed up. “You don’t want it?” he asked in disbelief.

“No. The biologists didn’t survive.” For the first time the female colonist’s voice approached something like concern.

“It’s valuable,” Castor insisted, ignoring Kyle’s voice in his head to shut up about the seed bank already. If the colonists didn’t want it, he could think of people who would!

“If we need it, we’ll return for it.”

_How are they going to do that?_ Marcus asked.

_They aren’t,_ Demetri replied.

_They’re on a one-way trip to Toren_ , Kyle derisively thought.

“We’ll keep it safe on _The Defiant_ ,” Castor offered. “It’s too valuable to leave here unattended, plus it has to stay at a constant temperature.”

The colonists’ leaders agreed to that plan, even though it seemed they couldn’t care less what happened to the seed bank. To their minds it was a remnant of their colonist dreams, a visual of what could have been.

Plans finally made, the meeting adjourned. The colonists went to the shuttle bay to check on preparations, and Castor and Concannon returned to _The Defiant_. Castor wanted nothing more than to fall into his bed for days, but he had his own preparations to make. A call to update Egan, and final arrangements for storing the seed bank aboard his scout ship. One more day until _The Triumph_ arrived, and then maybe at last he could sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to update! I know where I want this story to go, and I wish I could just jump ahead about a week into the story and go on from there. It's a challenge trying to go from point A to B with this plot. Thanks for sticking with it, and thanks for reading!


	17. Scat now, and look to my son

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, a flashback within a flashback as we look back at the early days of Concannon and Castor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **New Horizon Colony Ship** | 
> 
> **The Defiant**  
>   
> ---|---  
> Tom, Jack 18, Katy Corwin | **The Cadre:** | **The Crew:**  
> Trey 12, Austin 10, Kelly Corwin 9 |     | Captain Castor Lycan 25 (mindlinked) |     | Master Engineer Cy Concannon  
>   |   | Kyle Tabor 26 - pilot (mindlinked) |   | Dr. Seka Corea  
> **The Triumph** |   | Marcus Kilian (mindlinked) 24 |   | Kara Reid  
> Captain Egan Lycan |   | Demetri (Demi) Sokolov (mindlinked) 24 |   |    
> Commander Robert Meyers |   | Fendi Jayadi 19 (not mindlinked) | **The Apprentices:**  
>   |   |   |     | Renny Lycan 16  
>   | **The Guests:** |   | Tyler 16  
> |  | Caelin Hall 17 |  |   
> |  | Mr. Wright |  |   
  
**Thirteen Years Previously...**

On a glorious spring day near the estate of Lachappelle on the planet Montauk, four boys stood poised on the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean. They did their best to brace themselves against the stout wind buffeting them, their clothes flapping wildly. Castor Lycan, 12 and the second oldest, lifted his arms from his sides, revealing a pair of wings, the feathers translucent blue and white in the sunlight. The wings, a light composite designed to catch the wind and respond to the wearer's movements, were strapped to his arms and chest. After the wind made him stumble he quickly lowered his arms again. Golden hair shining in the morning sun, he looked to his left and saw his cadremates, 13 year-old Kyle Tabor and the two 11 year-olds, Marcus Kilian and Demetri Sokolov.

"Are we sure we want to do this?" Demetri asked, shouting to be heard over the wind. He took a step back from the cliff and fell to his knees, placing his hands in front of him on the ground to brace himself against the tugging wind.

"Yes!" Castor shouted back, though in truth he was having second thoughts himself. He might have given it up except it had taken a lot of preparation to make it this far and he doubted they would have another chance. The day's adventure had required taking the wings from the Field House without anyone seeing, disabling the tracking features of the shuttle they had borrowed (without permission), arranging for the shuttle to meet them at the edge of Lachappelle to escape notice, ditching their morning lessons, and lastly and perhaps most difficult, leaving the estate without the house AI or his bodyguard's knowledge. For that last sin alone he knew he would face stiff punishment upon his return, so he wanted to make the outing worth it.

"I don’t think I can control them!" Marcus said already in a slight panic. He experimentally raised his arms, feathered wings rising at the same time. The younger boy was light of build, with dark hair and intelligent green eyes. Since joining Castor's cadre at Lachappelle two years previously, he had done whatever necessary to keep up with the older boys, often against his better judgment. He was more comfortable hacking into the house's AI or the Net, not standing at the edge of a cliff trying to keep his balance while weighted down with tech wings.

Castor looked over the edge, wishing he was older and bigger. The wings belonged to his grown siblings and were designed for adults. He and his cadremates were rather undersized for them. Glancing at his best friend Kyle, he read in the other boy’s eyes the same reservations that he felt himself. It might have been more prudent to experiment with flying in a nice quiet meadow rather than over the ocean with waves crashing against the rocks and cliffs below. Castor wasn't going to give up now, though.

"I'm going!" And with that, he lifted his arms and leapt. And soared gloriously in the sunlight. For a few seconds. Then he caught a downdraft that carried him away from the cliff wall, but caused the rocks below to draw close very quickly. In his panic he forgot the instructions he had read and tried to flap his arms, but the wings were too large and heavy for him.

Then in his comm he heard Kyle's voice, "Put your feet down! Feet down!"

Castor reoriented himself so his feet were aimed towards the ground, and the wings readjusted themselves, jolting him but bringing the nosedive to a stop. Thank God Kyle had paid attention to the user's manual. They had brought it along in the shuttle, but Kyle was the only one who read the whole thing. "Thanks, mate," Castor said. As he turned to fly over the ocean, he glanced up and saw Marcus had already leapt off. Suddenly Castor was terrified. How was the younger boy going to manage when he barely could?

Marcus struggled to keep his arms out from his sides, lacking the strength against the wind. His wings shot about his head, taking his arms with him, only the built-in safety features preventing his shoulders from being dislocated from the jolt and pull. Marcus entered a downward spiral. Castor raced towards him, yelling for him to pull up. Marcus shifted several times, until finally one turn caused the wings to catch the breeze and pull him out of the spin.

"Follow me!" Castor shouted.

Castor headed toward the beach, away from the rocks under the cliffs, towards a sandy area. Marcus did his best to follow. Both boys quickly tired as they tried to control the wings and direct themselves to the shore, Kyle shouting advice into their comms the whole while. Castor tried to stay close to the younger boy, but he was having his own difficulties. Why had he thought this would be a good idea?  After several exhausting, terrifying minutes, they both crashed into the surf at the edge of the beach. Castor barely had the energy to pull himself and the sodden, broken wings out of the water. Marcus was in even worse shape. The wings were as tall as he was, and every time he got to his feet, the tide knocked him down again.

Kyle and Demetri ran over to Marcus, having taken their own wings off at the top of the cliff, and taken the shuttle down to meet them at the beach. Both boys helped the younger one unstrap himself from the wings and free himself, then while Demetri helped Marcus to shore, Kyle turned to Castor’s aid. Abandoning the wings to the ocean, the four boys made their way to the sand and collapsed, utterly exhausted.

"Are you both okay?" Kyle asked.

"I am," Castor said. "Marcus?"

"Let's just go h-home," Marcus panted, hugging himself lightly with his aching arms.

Demetri assisted Marcus while Kyle helped Castor into the shuttle. They returned to the top of the cliff to retrieve the two pairs of wings, trying to ignore the remnants of the others that were churning in the surf. Castor sighed. They were in so much trouble.

As the shuttle started for Lachappelle, they heard the unmistakable sound of drones. The Lycans had silent, stealth drones used for defense and combat; they also had rescue drones which were slower, bulkier, and bright orange. The rescue drones were meant to be seen by those seeking rescue, and let out an almost cheerful beeping. They were capable of two-way communication, but since the boys were inside the shuttle, they merely flashed their lights several times and took up position on either side of their vehicle.

“Fantastic. An escort,” Kyle remarked sourly.

“We’re dead,” Demetri intoned, slumping in his seat.

“Should we answer it?” Marcus asked, looking at the communication indicator lights on the shuttle’s console, which had been flashing almost continuously since they left home.

“No,” Castor decided. “No sense getting yelled at now _and_ later.”

The rest of their trip was taken in silence as each boy was lost in his own thoughts. The shuttle started to descend in the orchards at the edge of the estate, but Castor told it to proceed to the courtyard.

“No!” Demetri protested, ducking down in the seat. “They’ll see us!”

Castor shrugged. "I don’t think there’s any way to hide. We're already in all kinds of trouble. Might as well face it."

As the shuttle prepared to land, they saw a single figure waiting for them in the center of the courtyard, Castor's bodyguard, Cy Concannon, 24. Fit from working out daily, he stood with his arms crossed and a scowl on his handsome young face. Castor wanted to slide down in his own seat and hide, but knew it wouldn't do any good. Besides, he was a Lycan. He couldn't appear afraid in front of his cadremates, and he had to take responsibility for his actions.

The moment the shuttle landed the hatch opened automatically. The boys looked at each other, not wanting to be first to exit. Castor finally unglued himself from his seat and approached the hatch on shaky feet. He hesitated, the other boys clustered behind him.

"Get out," Cy ordered, unsmiling, eyes blazing with anger. "Do you have any idea of the upset you have caused this house? The entire household has spent the day searching for you. We had to use the satellites to find the shuttle."

"We're sorry," Cas said, speaking for all of them.

"You'll soon be sorrier. Your father wants you all in his study. Immediately." Then looking at the scared boys, the youngest of whom was still cradling his arms, he asked, “Is anyone injured?"

"No, sir. We're mostly alright," Castor said quietly, before turning to the youngest cadre member. “Marcus, you should get checked out.”

Cy approached Marcus and leaned down to look him over. “Did you get hurt?”

“No, just my arms hurt a little.”

“Who flew? All of you?”

Kyle and Demetri shook their heads in denial, and Cy turned to Castor who nodded. “Just Marcus and me,” he admitted.

Cy looked over all the boys then sighed. “You’re wet and filthy. You can’t see Lord Lycan as you are anyway. Kyle, Demetri, go clean up then wait in your rooms. Castor, Marcus, come with me.”

An hour later, after being fussed over and tended to in the infirmary, both boys were given orders to take it easy for a few days then sent on their unmerry way. Cy escorted them back to the third floor of the manor’s north wing – their cadre’s home – and waited with Kyle and Demetri while Castor and Marcus quickly cleaned up. Before they put their more formal shirts and jackets on he reapplied the cream that would aid against bruising. “Foolish boys,” he remonstrated, giving them each a quick swat as he released them to finish dressing.

Then, looking over all four of his charges, he declared them fit and said, “It’s past time to see your father, Cas. Come on, boys.”

Pale with dread, all four boys followed Cy to the business wing where they rarely had cause to go. The door to Soren's office was closed. His aide motioned for them to sit in the corridor and wait. Cy suspected the Lord wanted to increase the boys' anxiety, since he knew they were expected.

The boys sat across from Concannon, who watched them thoughtfully. Kyle played with his shoelace, not looking up. Marcus was already in tears, wiping them away with trembling hands when he thought no one was looking. Demetri nervously swung his legs, his feet not even reaching the floor. Cas steeled himself for whatever may come, but the disappointment and anger he read in Cy's eyes finally proved too much, and he looked away at last, blinking back tears.

**..»º*º«..**

Six years before, Soren Lycan, Castor's father and Lord of Montauk, had employed a young hero from the Northlands who had rescued a young cadre of children from a flashflood while they were on a field trip. Along with a medal for bravery, the Lord of Montauk had offered him a job as bodyguard for his youngest son as well as an education. The 18 year-old, orphaned the previous year, had accepted. He came to live at Lachappelle, enrolled in an engineering course, and found himself bodyguard to an active six year-old. Soren's wife had died when Castor was two, and by the time the boy was six, he was a confusing mess of overlooked and spoiled. He had a nanny who he ignored, a tutor who couldn't hold his attention, older siblings busy with their own studies and activities, and a father who was busy running the planet.

In the beginning Cy Concannon followed the lead of the bodyguards for the other family members. He remained quietly in the background of his charge's activities, looking up from his engineering studies to watch that the boy was safe, but otherwise making no move to interact or interfere. He had been made to understand that the boy's safety was his sole concern. So day after day he watched as Cas ran away from his nanny, Mrs. Hoff, smarted off to his tutor, and was a brat to all the household staff. At the same time, Cy noticed Castor’s disappointment when his siblings and father rebuffed his efforts to spend time with them, and felt sorry for the little boy. Occasionally his brother Perry took his nose out of his books long enough to play with his little brother, but for the most part Cas was left alone. Well, as alone as a six year-old with a nanny, a tutor, and a bodyguard could be. Cy had taken note of another little boy on the estate, the son of recently indentured servants, but when he had approached Mrs. Hoff with the idea of letting the boys play together, she had haughtily replied that it wouldn’t be proper. Cy had backed off, getting the distinct impression that she didn’t really consider _him_ proper company for her young charge either.

So, he watched day after day as the little one was allowed to run roughshod over the estate. Occasionally someone took him in hand. Never his nanny and not his tutor; usually an older sibling who got tired of the noise and chaos and hauled off and smacked him. Any discipline, such as it was, was inconsistent at best, given in the heat of the moment and without explanation or admonitions to behave better. The young bodyguard wanted to speak up, but believed his own position in the household to be rather tenuous. Lord Lycan had nominal guardianship over him, but truthfully the two rarely saw each other. If Cy created waves he thought the Lord of Montauk would find it easiest just to send him away.

Then one day the younger children of the family went on a picnic accompanied by a slew of nannies, governesses, and bodyguards. Perry promptly climbed onto a large rock to settle in a nook and read. Eleanor and Maureen played their own games and ignored their baby brother, who then sought attention by wading into the nearby stream and returning with handfuls of mud to chase them with. Maureen was intercepted before she could slap him, and both girls went further upstream to avoid their annoying younger brother. They were followed closely by their guards and governess, leaving Mrs. Hoff pleading with Castor to get out of the stream so he could go home for a bath. Perry looked up from his book to laugh at the situation and Castor, seeing all the attention he was getting and having the time of his life, refused to budge from his messy play.

Cy Concannon watched from a few meters away. Technically it wasn't any of his business. The stream was only centimeters deep and with no fear of his charge drowning or coming to injury, he had no reason to become involved. He had stopped the engineering lesson on his tablet when the girls' screeching had begun, and he now watched with carefully hidden amusement to see what would happen next.

"Come, Master Castor, please get out," Mrs. Hoff pleaded.

Castor ignored her and stomped around, splashing water everywhere, including on his nanny.

In a wheedling tone she suggested, "Come on out, and I’ll let you have chocolate when we get home."

Castor stopped and turned to her, debating this offer. It wasn’t much of one since he could get chocolate from the kitchens any old time he wanted it. Cy knew from the boy's grin that he had more mischief in mind. Sure enough, Cas reached down and grabbed two handfuls of mud. As he slowly straightened, rivulets of dirty water ran down his arms as he held the muddy handfuls up. Responding to the gleam in his eye, his nanny said, "Don't you dare! You put that down right now!"

For several minutes the indignant woman and small boy were in a standoff, pleas and orders from the one side, teasing small tosses of mud and laughs on the other. Cy watched in disbelief. He'd never had a nanny, but if he had behaved this way growing up, well... he wouldn't have for long. Why didn't the woman just pick him up? She was well capable of picking up the small child. Finally he tired of it. Putting his tablet safely in its case where it wouldn't be harmed by flying mud or water, he set it down and stood up.

"That's enough, Castor. Rinse your muddy hands in the water and come out." He strode to the water's edge and stood with his hands on his hips. "Now."

His fun interrupted, Castor looked in surprise at his bodyguard. The family guards were so much in the background, it was as if a wall had suddenly talked. Then he grinned again and spun around, mud flying from his hands in all directions, kicking up more water as he stomped. Mrs. Hoff shrieked and stormed off, shouting that she had had enough, she quit. Concannon strode into the water, picked up the boy, and carried him kicking and screaming out of the stream. He wanted to put him straight over his knee and spank the daylights out of him, but knew a word of explanation was needed, or he would be just like everyone else who suddenly swooped in to punish the boy.

“Castor,” he said sternly, going down on one knee to establish eye contact. “You’ve behaved very badly. You disobeyed Mrs. Hoff and made a big mess, and now the picnic is ruined. I’m going to spank you for that.” And with that, he put the boy over his other knee and soundly spanked him.

At first Castor was too shocked to cry, but soon made up for it, caterwauling as each swat fell on his behind. The only witnesses were Perry and his own guard, who both watched the proceedings in entranced disbelief. As soon as Castor was released he threw himself to the ground in a tantrum. Concannon let him wear himself out. When the boy quieted down, Concannon calmly asked if he was done. Castor nodded, and the bodyguard stood him back up and gave him three more swats. "That's for the temper tantrum," he said. "Let's go home."

Castor, whose entire world had just turned on end, merely stood crying. Cy, who had acted out of impulse, even if he had taken the time to explain the reason for the punishment, now faced a pitiful, sobbing little boy, no sign of the cheeky boy that had been there a few minutes before. After watching him half a minute, he sighed. "Come along, Cas." He picked up the small figure, who had given up all fight. Cy carried him the entire way back to the estate, well over a kilometer away. By the time they arrived Concannon's arms were tired, and the boy was resting his head on his shoulder.

As they entered the main gate, the gatehouse guard leaned out. "Lord Lycan would like to see you, Mr. Concannon. Right away."

"Alright." Cy shifted the boy to his other arm. "As soon as I take care of him."

"He said right away."

Cy nodded, but carried Cas to his room first anyway. He undressed him, bathed him, dressed him in summer pajamas, and put him to bed. "Take a nap, Cas," he said. "I'll be back later." He quickly changed out of his own muddy clothes before heading to the business wing of the house.

If Concannon was nervous at appearing before the Lord of Montauk, he hid it very well. "Yes, my lord?" he asked, "You asked for me?"

"Yes, come in, if you would." Soren pointedly looked at his watch. "I thought you returned 25 minutes ago."

"Yessir. Cas was messy. I-I cleaned him up and put him to bed."

Soren’s eyebrow rose at the casual nickname given his son, but didn’t comment on it. "I understand Mrs. Hoff has resigned. What happened?"

Cy told him the events of the afternoon, hesitating only when he related his punishment of the boy.

"You spanked my son?" Soren asked, leaning back in his chair and folding his hands across his chest, deceptively calm.

"Yes, my lord."

"Why?"

"I-I told you, my lord. He was behaving badly."

"Was he in danger?"

"Yes, sir."

Soren's eyebrows raised. "I know that stream. It can't be more than 10 cm deep. I doubt he was in danger."

"Forgive me, my lord, but he was. He is."

"Explain."

For the first time, Cy appeared nervous. Who was he to tell the Lord of Montauk that his youngest son was a neglected, spoiled brat? "I'm sorry, my lord."

"Explain,” came the growled reply.

"I've watched him for two months now, sir, and he runs roughshod over everyone. His nanny, his tutor, the servants and staff, just everyone. He's a complete brat, but he's smart, and kind to his pets, and really just wants some attention. Sir."

Soren silently appraised the young bodyguard. "Raised in the Northlands, were you?" The Northlands were primarily agricultural, known for the hardiness of the people.

"Yes, my lord."

Lord Lycan suddenly leaned forward in his chair, his grey eyes pinning the younger man. "Are you aware it is a capital offence to strike the Lord of Montauk or his family?"

Cy’s eyes widened in shock and dismay. "What? No, sir."

"For that matter, you are 7 years short of your majority. I could have you whipped for what you did."

Cy flushed. "Yes, sir. You could. My father whipped me for less."

"You seem to have turned out alright." Soren suddenly smiled and much of the tension left the room.

"Thank you, sir. I hope so."

"I won't punish you, Cy. Work keeps me from doing right by Castor, and his siblings have their own paths. I have a proposal for you. I would like you to act as Castor's guardian as well as bodyguard."

Concannon's cool exterior faltered. "Sir? I'm not sure what you mean...?"

"En loco parentis. You will take responsibility for him. Castor is my youngest son. He'll be in a cadre soon, and educated for a future career in the Space Guard. I may be holed up in my study, but I know what happens in my own household. I know he's running around like an arrogant little banshee. I've been watching you too. You seem to be the only one in his life, other than Egan and myself, who is concerned with his character. He's too strong-willed and getting too old for another nanny. Do your best to raise him. You may punish him as you see fit, but if you go too far, I will whip you myself. Understand?"

Cy didn't understand anything about the current situation, but replied, "Yessir. I'll do my best." Lord Lycan was handing over his son to him?

"As for your own education, you will continue that as far as you desire. When Castor joins the Space Guard, you may continue as his bodyguard if you wish. You will by then be more than qualified to be an engineer on any of my ships. Does that sound agreeable?"

"Yessir. Thank you, sir. I'll do my best."

"That's fine, Cy. Thank you." Soren stood and extended his hand, which the still confused younger man shook. As Cy turned to go, Soren said, "Send Castor in to see me, would you please? I'll explain the new arrangement to him."

"As soon as he wakes from his nap, sir."

Soren's eyebrows raised at this thwarting of his order. "Just promise me you'll be this tenacious with your care of him when it comes to people other than his own father."

"Yessir, I will." Cy had the feeling the Lord of Montauk wasn't accustomed to having to wait to be obeyed. "I'm sorry."

Soren waved him off. "Scat now. Look to my son." He smiled as Cy fled.

Over the next few weeks Cy and Castor forged a new relationship. It was rocky at times, for though his father had explained that he must obey his new guardian, the boy tested the boundaries and bonds at every turn. Cy established the boundaries straightaway and enforced them when they were crossed. He had just three ironclad rules at the start. First, never run from him or seek to escape his notice. Cy was still his bodyguard, and wasn't going to tolerate the boy hiding from him or running off. Second, he required immediate obedience. Third, no lying to him, ever. After a few more trips across Cy's knee in the first weeks, Cas gave up and started to obey.

As for the bonds, Concannon took the boy in hand and taught him to do everything he had learned to do as a boy growing up in the countryside of the Northlands. The boy flourished with this attention and eagerly learned how to ride horses, fish, and hunt. The workshop at the estate became a favorite playground for them. The groundskeeper and maintenance crew good-naturedly tolerated their presence (as if they had a choice), and Cy and Cas spent a lot of time hammering boards together and sawing them apart. They built a fort and treehouse in the orchards; the structures were inexpertly put together, but sturdy and serviceable.

After a little time passed and he felt more comfortable in his new role, Cy spoke to Lord Lycan about the other little boy on the estate, Kyle, and how both boys needed a playmate. His employer was wary at first, but finally agreed to let them become friends. By the time Kyle moved to the manor to form the beginning of their cadre, Castor had become a cheerful, obedient little boy. He was still mischievous, especially now that he had a companion in his adventures, but his fun was rarely at others' expense. When Marcus and Demetri joined the cadre Cy good-naturedly accepted the quadrupling of his duties, and looked after all four. He established the same rules with the rest of the cadre as he did with Cas. The main difference was that he was officially Cas's guardian, and required more from Castor. Castor was meant for command someday, so the standards were higher for him. The boys, meanwhile, thought Concannon capable of anything and fairly worshipped him. They usually obeyed him, knowing that he did care for them, and usually a narrowing of the eyes was enough to keep them in line. Sometimes they had lapses, which were quickly met by a talk and a sound spanking. The lapses became more and more infrequent, however, so by the time the boys tried to fly off a cliff with stolen wings, it had been more than a year since their last punishment.

**..»º*º«..**

Now, waiting to enter the Lord of Montauk's study, Concannon and the cadre were quiet, all wishing the day were already over. There had been quite the commotion at the house when it was discovered that the boys were gone. The security team had enacted the "lost family member" protocol. The servants searched every inch of the house and grounds while Soren met with Cy, the tutors and valets to compare notes of when and where the boys had been seen last. Then the shuttle was found missing, and as the security team discovered that the house AI had been tampered with, it was quickly realized that the boys were off on a jaunt. The clincher came with the chance discovery that four pairs of wings had been stolen from the Field House. The ground search for the boys was called off, while a satellite search for the shuttle began. Soon the shuttle was located near the ocean, but not in time to prevent the boys from jumping off the cliff.

While the household awaited the return of the boys, Soren called for Cy to join him in his study. The two had met weekly for years, and saw each other at mealtimes, but Cy was still apprehensive every time they met. The Lord of Montauk had taken him in, educated him, entrusted him with his son, and mentored him at every turn. Cyrus had always been conscientious in his duties, and knew he had failed horribly this time. Once the door was closed, Soren motioned for Cy to sit, but the young man instead dropped to his knees. "I'm sorry, my lord," he said, looking down. "I failed today. If anything happens to them, I'll never forgive myself."

Soren sighed. "I'm furious, Cy, but not at you. Well, slightly at you. What were you doing today that you didn't notice their disappearance?"

"I was studying for the mastery exam, my lord. It's next week. And they were supposed to be at lessons studying for their own exams. I'm not fit to be your son's bodyguard or guardian. I offer my resignation."

"Don't be absurd. I don't accept. Get up. The security team has drones escorting the shuttle, and I'm told all four boys are safely inside and on their way home."

"Thank God. But I should have known what they were up to."

"Young boys will find ways to escape their elders. They got past you, their tutors, the Field House attendant, the fleet staff, the house AI, and the security team."

"Yessir, I'm still sorry."

Soren waved that off with a hand and sat heavily in his chair behind his desk. "I'll want to see them upon their return. I'll let them know how... annoyed... I am, then I want you to whip them so well that they'll never consider running off again. Don't even think of going easy on them."

"Very well, sir."

Both men sat silently for a minute. Then Soren sighed and said, "I know you don't like to punish them. I can call in someone else to do it if you would rather."

Cy was appalled at the thought. Other than the occasional punishments from the boys’ tutors, he had become the sole disciplinarian. It was his job. He also wondered why Soren didn't do it himself; he was Cas's father after all. "No, my lord, but thank you. I'll do it myself." He smiled weakly. "Consider it my punishment for not keeping better track of them."

Then the call came that the shuttle was back, and Cy went out to meet it.

**..»º*º«..**

Soren kept the five waiting for 20 minutes before he told his assistant to let them in. The boys stood in front of Soren's desk and Cy waited off to the side. He was surprised to see that Soren had gotten hold of a lithe cane. He stalked back and forth as he scolded the boys, occasionally bringing the cane down sharply on his desktop. The boys jumped every time it happened. So did Cy, to his discomfiture. After listing in great detail all of their sins of the day and the many ways in which they fell short of expected behavior, Soren paused. He hadn't asked a single question of the boys. Now the room was silent except for the crying of Demetri and Marcus. Cas was still trying to maintain eye contact with his father, knowing it was expected, but the others couldn't.

"Mr. Concannon!" he suddenly barked. 

Cy started. "Yes, my lord?"

Soren held out the cane to him. Cy stepped forward and took it. He begged Soren not to do this with his eyes, knowing he couldn't ask it aloud in front of the kids.

"Whip them," he ordered, not giving an inch.

"Yes, my lord. Boys, go back to your rooms. I'll be there shortly."

As soon as the boys were gone, Cy closed the door and turned to Soren. His hand trembling slightly, he reached out with the cane and set it on the desk. "My lord, I will not use this."

The Lord of Montauk glared at Cy. "You don't want to defy me, Cyrus."

Cy again dropped to his knees in submission. "Do with me what you will, my lord, but I won't cane them."

"I'll have the groom do it."

"No, my lord. I cannot allow it." He bent his head.

"Cannot?" Soren's voice was quiet, and Cy inwardly quaked.

"My lord, as long as I'm your son's bodyguard, I cannot allow them to be beaten with that. They're only children, it's too much. If you trust me, sir, allow me to punish them my way."

Soren sat again in his chair while Cy remained kneeling. Soren picked up the cane and lightly tapped it against his hand. He waited until Cy finally looked up. "Is there any reason why should I not whip you myself?"

"No, sir. I've defied you. I expect it." He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. Six years in the household and he’d never been beaten, though the threat was still real.

Soren let him sweat for another minute before setting the cane back on the desk. "Get up, Cyrus. I'm not going to whip you. I do trust you with my son and the others. Do it your way, but do it well."

"Yessir, thank you, sir."

"Don't defy me again, Cy."

"No, sir. I won't. Unless I have to."

"Scat now. Look to my son."

"Yessir." Cy fled. Though he hated to make the boys wait any longer, he took a quick walk around the house to cool off.

The cadre wing was silent when he entered, and for a horrible moment he thought the boys had run off again to escape punishment. Then Cas appeared in the doorway to his room, dressed in his pajamas. "We're ready, Mr. Concannon," he said quietly, eyes searching about his guardian. “Where’s Father’s cane?”

“He decided it wasn’t necessary.” Cy entered Cas's room, pulling the belt from around his waist. Cas sat on his bed, tears brimming over and running down his cheeks. He had kept a brave face during the whole interview with his father, but the events of the day were finally too much for him, and he could no longer hold them back.

"You baffle me, Castor Augustus Lycan," Cy said gently.

"Sir?" The boy looked fearfully up.

"When you were planning and executing today's adventure, was there _ever_ a point when it seemed like a good idea?" Cy was genuinely curious. He didn't intend to scold the boy; there was nothing he could add to Soren's dressing down.

"N-No, sir. I thought it might be fun, but not a good idea really."

 "So why did you go through with it?"

Cas thought a moment. "Inertia."

Cy nodded. "Just because you're engaged in a bad plan, you don't need to continue it. Stop next time. Understand?"

Cas nodded.

"Very well. Do you know why you are to be punished?"

"Yessir."

"Tell me."

Cas took a shaky breath. His father had detailed all the misdeeds of the day in excruciating detail. The boy skipped over those in his mind and went to what he knew his bodyguard would think most important. "For breaking the first rule, running off. Endangering myself and Kyle and Marcus and Demetri."

"You could have been hurt or kidnapped. I expect better from you. I am disappointed in your judgment and behavior today, Castor." He watched the boy cry, knowing he wouldn't get much more out of him. "Very well. Let's get this over with. I'm vexed that you would behave in a way that would make this necessary. Get up and bend over."

Cas bent down, grasping his knees. Cy steadied him with his left hand. At the sharp crack of the first blow Cas involuntarily started. Cy waited until he settled himself again, then began again, giving him a total of 12 swats. When Concannon finished and lifted his hand from the boy's back, Cas fell forward onto the bed, sobbing.

From the adjoining bathroom Cy filled two glasses with cool water. He placed one on the nightstand next to the bed, and proceeded to drink the second one himself. Cas rubbed his behind. His guardian sat beside him on the bed and let him cry for several minutes. He gently smoothed his hair. "Shh... shh..." When the boy finally quieted down, he said, "Rest now. I'll be back in a bit."

Cy next went to Kyle's room. He found the older boy sitting on his bed, his knees drawn up to his chest with his arms around them. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yessir."

"Do you understand why you're being punished?"

"Yessir. But I didn't jump," he protested sullenly.

"I'm glad you showed some sense today, but did you forget all the things you DID do?"

"No, sir."

"Lord Lycan just went through the list. Do I need to do it again?"

"No, sir."

"Then get in position. I'm going to give you eight." He waited while the boy unfolded himself and bent over. After the second swat, Kyle stood up and his hands went to his behind. "No," Cy ordered. "Get back down."

"No..." Kyle begged.

"You know the rules. We start over at one. Get down."

"Please, no..."

Cy put one hand on the boy's back and gently pushed him down. He held on to him and gave him eight more swats.

After he was released, Kyle straightened and stood awkwardly crying, his hands held to his behind. Cy let the boy cry a few minutes, then went over and gave him a quick embrace. "Rest."

Demetri was next. As Cy entered his room, he found the boy curled up in bed under the covers, in tears.

"Come on, let's get this over with."

Demetri turned his head to see the stern young man, his eyes widening in fright when he spied the belt still in Cy’s hand. Cy patiently waited for Demetri to conquer his fear and get out of bed, then he put his belt back on, sat on the bed and patted his leg. Demetri stood in front of him, uncertain.

"Over my knee. I'm going to spank you."

"But I'm 11."

"Be glad you aren't too big yet. Grow any more and you'll get the belt like the older boys. Come on."

Demetri stepped closer, and Cy pulled him down over his lap. Cy didn't keep count; he just spanked until the boy started to squirm. With that, Cy gave him two final swats, harder this time, and let him up. Demetri stood before him, crying. Cy smoothed his hair back then pulled him into a hug. "Never run off again, do you understand?"

The boy nodded, unable to talk.

"Alright. Go to bed."

Last to go was Marcus, the youngest boy. Cy hated to punish him. Marcus was a good-natured kid, eager to please. Usually that meant he was pliant and obedient to adults, but it also meant he was too willing to do what the older boys wanted. He knew that Marcus never would have thought up today's particular adventure on his own. Still, he had taken part and had been the one to hack into the house AI. Cy sat on the bed and with a wordless, teary pout, Marcus scooted across the bed and over his lap. Unlike his slightly older friend, he had no need to protest the childish spanking. Since joining the cadre he had always gone over Concannon’s knee and he never expected anything different. Even after Lord Lycan pulled out the cane, his mind never really accepted the fact that it could be used on _him_.

“Not so fast,” Cy said, helping the boy up to sit next to him. “How are your arms?”

Marcus looked down at his arms, plucking at one sleeve, then shrugged. “They’re tired and kind of hurt still, Mr. Concannon.”

“I think you’ve had enough for one day. No spanking for you.”

Marcus straightened, insisting, “I’m alright, really.”

“Lie down, and rest.”

Marcus knew better than to disobey, but as he lay back down he again protested that he was fine, adding, “I have to be punished like the others.”

The young man allowed a fond smile to cross his face. “So you can compare war wounds later?”

“Yes, sir. I can’t be the only one not punished!”

The bodyguard contemplated his youngest charge. Marcus was forever trying to keep up with the older boys. Cy knew they wouldn’t think less of him if he didn’t get punished since he seemed to have had the hardest experience flying, but the little one needed it for his own sense of pride.

“Alright, then.” He again sat on the edge of the bed, gently lifting the boy and tipping him over his knees. Marcus abruptly found himself staring at the hardwood floor, a muscular arm holding him in place. Cy commenced punishing him, the spanking more sound than fury, but sufficient to bring a fresh round of tears to the child. Lifting him upright again, he said, “There now. Go back to bed and rest. If your arms hurt you too much, come get me.”

As he left Marcus’s room, Cy found Castor up and leaning in the doorway of his own bedroom. He was flushed and teary. Cy felt his forehead. "Go back to bed. I'm going to get you some aspirin."

"But... I’m not supposed to," Cas protested. The pain after the spanking had always been part of the punishment and he wasn’t allowed to take medicine to get rid of it.

"Are you arguing with me?" Cy asked gently. "That's pretty brave for a boy who's still in tears."

"No, sir," Cas laid back on his bed.

"You're feverish. I’ll be right back."

After medicating the boy, Cy pulled a chair up to the bedside and pressed a wet cloth to his forehead. Cas slowly drifted off to sleep. Cy stayed until the flush of fever was gone and the boy peacefully slept. A quick check on the other boys showed that they had all succumbed to sleep.

**..»º*º«..**

In the morning Cy entered the cadre's common room and found Kyle already up. "Good morning," Cy said. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore. I don't want to get whipped again, Mr. Concannon."

"I don't want you to misbehave again. If only there were some way we could both get what we want..."

Kyle grinned despite himself, realizing he was being teased. "Aye, Mr. Concannon. I will try to behave."

Cy ruffled his hair and said, "Thank you. I'd rather not have to whip you. Are the others awake yet?"

"No, sir."

He decided to check on Marcus first. He found the boy laying on his stomach in bed. "Morning, Marcus. Wake up." He gently shook his shoulder and Marcus woke.

"Please, can I sleep in longer?" he asked yawning.

"You have a busy day ahead. Best get ready. How are you feeling?"

He pulled himself out of bed and experimentally rubbed his behind. "I’m okay."

"Don’t say that too loudly. Don't want the other boys thinking you got off too easy. _They_ won't be sitting for days yet."

Marcus grinned. Sometimes there were advantages to being the youngest.

Cy knocked softly on Cas's door before entering. The boy had just awakened. He stretched and rolled from his side to his back, then stopped, wincing. "Ow. Must I get up?" he asked languidly.

"Yes. _Can_ you get up?"

"Nooo. I wanna stay in bed."

“Up.”

Castor stretched. “Nooo, please.”

Cy recognized this wasn’t disobedience so much as it was a sleepy familiarity with his guardian. In response he easily lifted and carried the boy to the bathroom. He deposited him in the shower, still in his pajamas, and turned on the water. "Let me know when you're done and I'll carry you down to breakfast."

"Nooo, I don't want to go to breakfast."

"You seem to have reverted to babyhood overnight," Cy observed. Cas sometimes did when the other boys weren't around. Cy would have to think about that. He didn't want to send him off to the Guard in a few years still acting like a baby.

"The water hurts. Make it stop."

Cy rolled his eyes. His charge was going to play up his pain for all it was worth. Feeling guilty for causing it, Cy let him. "Hurry and wash up. You have a busy morning ahead of you."

Back in the common room he found Kyle had already called down to the kitchen for a tray of bacon, eggs, and pastries, and was fixing himself a plate.

"You boys should be eating gruel, not pastries," Cy said, taking a plate himself. Soon the other boys joined them for a subdued breakfast. The boys kept darting glances at Cy, still feeling in disgrace. One by one they finished eating, but remained at the table until Cy was done. He finished, wiping his hands on a napkin.

"Alright kids. You've been scolded, you've been punished, time to make amends. There's a long list of people from whom you've got to ask forgiveness, so better get started." He gave them each a once-over before they headed out.

While the boys were out making the rounds of apologies and restitution, Cy returned to his own room. He needed to study for his own upcoming examination, but after his fitful rest the previous night, he soon drifted off to sleep. Some time later there was a quiet knock on his door. He sat up sleepily. "Yes?"

"May I come in, Mr. Concannon?" It was Cas.

"Yes, come on in." Cy stood.

Cas entered, still subdued. “I’ve apologized to everyone. Almost...” Then boy knelt, formally, as ward to guardian, as Cy had done the previous day with Soren. Looking down, he said, "I apologize to you, Mr. Concannon. I disobeyed the first rule and ran off and maybe got you in trouble with my father and broke your trust. And I'm sorry you had to punish me. I beg your forgiveness and hope you can trust me again."

Cas had apologized to his guardian before, but never so formally nor had he been so verbose.  Cy wanted to tell him to get up, that a Lycan shouldn't be kneeling before him, but he didn't want to lessen the boy’s intentions. "Look at me," he said gently.

Cas looked up, eyes shining.

"No, don’t cry again. No more tears. I forgive you. I trust you. I also know that you are 13, and you'll act your age again and do something foolish or disobedient and then you'll be punished again. It's an expected part of growing up. Now get up, please."

Cas stood, brushing away a tear. Cy put a hand on each shoulder and gave him a gentle shake. "No more tears." He gave him a quick embrace, then asked how he was feeling.

"Better. Thank you."

"Are the others back also?"

"Yessir."

Cy glanced at his watch. It was analog and had no function other than telling time, which was why he loved it. The boys had been out all morning; it was nearly noon. "Call down for lunch. I'll join you all in the common room in a few minutes."

He freshened up and joined the boys, who were even quieter than they had been at breakfast. Cy surmised that having to make the rounds of the estate and throw themselves on the mercy of about a dozen people would have that effect on them. After lunch had been brought up and they sat down to eat, Cy said, "Boys, I know yesterday started out as an adventure, a lark, but it ended badly and it could have ended a lot worse. You could have been injured or killed out there." The kids watched him with wide eyes, fearful that they were going to be scolded and maybe punished again. "I know you're kids, and you're going to think of idiotic schemes and get in trouble-"

"We _are_ teenagers," Kyle agreed. “I am, anyway.”

"And we _are_ supposed to rebel," Cas put in earnestly.

"You can rebel all you want, just do it within the estate grounds. Don't break the first rule ever again. I will not tolerate it. If it should happen again, I might take Lord Lycan up on his offer and let one of the grooms whip you." The boys looked at him in alarm. "You don't want that. I want you to promise me you will never run off like that again." He waited, imposing his will on them, until they all promised.

"But we can still rebel within the estate grounds?" Cas asked in a serious manner.

Cy stifled a laugh. "Sure, if you can find ways of doing it without breaking rules 2 and 3. And when you're caught you're getting soundly spanked. Go for it, boys." He smiled at their frustration. "Is that settled? Good. Finish your lunch. No afternoon lessons today, you're all napping." Cy held up a hand to stop their protests. "I don't want to hear it. And I don't want to hear a sound from any of you until 3:00. Understand?"

"Yessir," they answered together.

Once they were back in their own rooms, Cy headed back to his to resume his own nap. Some time later he was awakened by his caller. Would he never be able to sleep? He checked the name, and was instantly awake. "Yes, my lord?" he asked.

"Please join me on the veranda."

"Right away, sir," Cy said. It was hard to read the older man's mood from that one sentence, but the order to meet on the veranda was more optimistic than a similar one to meet in the study. He put on a tie and black coat, checked that the lace in his cuffs wasn't dirty, and hurried out to the rear of the mansion.

Soren sat on the veranda in a comfortable wooden chair, a glass of lemonade in one hand. "Join me." Gesturing to a tray with a pitcher of lemonade and another glass, he said, "Help yourself."

"Yes, sir. Thank you." He poured a glass for himself and sat in the chair next to Soren. The older man looked out over the estate, sipping his lemonade, saying nothing. He seemed at peace, but moments of quietude were unlike him. "Sir? Am I in trouble, my lord? Should I kneel again?" he said it lightly, but was serious.

" _Are_ you in trouble?"

"I don't know, sir. Please tell me."

"No, Cy, despite your defiance yesterday, you are not in trouble. Sip your lemonade, it's quite good. I have something else to discuss with you. You will soon have a fifth boy to take care of."

"Another cadre member?"

"Yes. Fendi Jayadi."

Cy recognized the family name. The Jayadis weren’t one of the Five Clans, but they were allies of the Lycans, minor aristocrats with land holdings to the south. "Yes, sir. Will he have his own retinue?"

"He will, but you are in charge of the cadre. Treat him as you do the others."

"You'd trust me with another one?"

Soren snorted. "Obviously. My warnings to the contrary, your occasional defiance of me is what makes you good at your job. I know you'll do whatever is necessary for the safety and wellbeing of my son and the other boys. Doesn't mean I won't still whip you for it," he added with a grin.

Cy smiled back. "Your opportunity is running short, my lord. I'll be 25 in three weeks."

"That soon? We must make arrangements."

At the age of 25, Soren's guardianship of Cy would end, and Cy would speak for himself. As a member of the Lycan household he would still be under Soren's protection and wear the ring that signified so, but it would be joined by one of Cy's own design.

Both men were quiet for a moment. Cy took another sip of his lemonade. "When will Fendi arrive?"

"The Guard is delivering him next week. I'll inform the boys in a day or so. As soon as they no longer feel in disgrace."

"Yes, sir. Is Egan coming home?"

Soren nodded, noting the happiness that lit Cy's eyes at the news. Egan and Cy were the same age, and despite the fact that Egan was always away on a ship somewhere, whenever he was home the two were fast friends.

"How are the boys today?" Soren asked.

"Sore and subdued. Did they stop by to apologize to you?"

"Yes. Only Castor managed to get the words out."

"They are in awe of you, my lord," he said with a quiet smile. As were they all. He drank the last of his lemonade.

They sat in companionable silence for several more minutes, until Soren released him with his traditional, "Scat now, look to my son."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of this chapter was written years ago, but I edited it and added to it to bring it in line with the current story line and characters. When I rewrite this story, I'll likely find a better location for these flashbacks, but they're kind of important to have before the story proceeds much further. So... flashbacks, yay! 
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


	18. All is calm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A calm morning on The Defiant as Jack explores and the crew gets ready to rendezvous with The Triumph.

**Present Day**

After his all-night session failing to persuade the colonists to pursue a reasonable course of action, Castor Lycan dragged himself back to _The Defiant_. Concannon accompanied him, of course. After so many years together the older man effortlessly transitioned from engineer to bodyguard to confidante as the situation required. While on _New Horizon_ he had acted primarily as engineer, but as the cryos grew increasingly hostile, his bodyguard tendencies had taken the fore. After escorting the young captain to his quarters, he returned to his own for some much needed rest.

Castor dropped onto his bed without first taking off his jacket or even removing his boots. _Haggis, patch me through to Egan._

He knew it was early morning, but he also knew Egan wouldn’t protest being awakened. Both as Castor’s brother and his commander, Egan was always available to him. Almost always. A few times when Egan’s wife and children came aboard, Haggis had met Castor’s request for communication with the query of whether it was an emergency or not. Now, however, there was no such delay.

Through the mindlink with Haggis, Egan’s voice came. “What’s up, Cas?”

Castor was too exhausted to couch the news in less than stark words. _They want to go to Toren_ , he thought bluntly.

There was a brief silence, then, “Did you try to persuade them otherwise?”

_Yes, sir, but they are determined. They’re put out that Montauk is spoken for and think they’ll have more opportunities on Toren. I spent all night telling them about Toren and Montauk and- they’re kind of... unpleasant to deal with, Egan. I have to admit I’m not sad I won’t have to deal with them at home._

Castor could almost sense Egan’s sigh across the miles. Without the actual minklink, of course, it was all just his imagination. When the reply came, it was in a new but not unexpected direction. “What of the seed bank?”

_They don’t want it._

“How can they not want it?”

_They’re idiotic cryos._

“Castor.”

_Sorry, but it’s worth enough to set them up for the rest of their lives on Montauk or Toren, and they don’t want it._

“Did you point that out?”

_Not in those exact words, but yes, more or less._

“More or less,” came the distracted echo. “Well, we’ll have to let the courts sort it out. I’m sure once they fully realize its worth, the colonists will want it back.”

_Mhm. Are you still coming?_

“We’re almost there. Why would we not?”

_It seems kind of pointless now._

“It’s not pointless. Get some sleep, Cas.”

**..»º*º«..**

Jack awoke, wondering what time it was. The lack of visual cues as to day and night was unsettling to him, and he looked forward to the day when he was on land with sunrises and sunsets. With a sudden feeling of panic, he realized he didn’t even know if Montauk had a nearby star to provide sunrises and sunsets. No, of course it did, that was one reason it was selected. He concentrated on breathing in and out until his heart rate settled back down.

The room was dark and he saw no clocks or anything else to indicate the time. He heard soft breathing from the bunk under his, and knew that Caelin was still asleep. Caelin. Now there was a puzzle. Jack didn’t fully understand this whole surety business, but despite Caelin’s explanation it still seemed that he was essentially a hostage. Calling him a surety was just semantics. What kind of people were these that he found himself amongst that they would engage in hostage-taking? His sister and nephews and niece now too. He was responsible for all of them. With that thought, he slipped out of the bed as quietly as he could. The bunks were sturdy and there wasn’t any creaking or swaying that might have awakened Caelin. Jack still paused, light on his feet, and looked into the lower bunk. Caelin slept on his side, facing away. Next Jack glanced towards the still-open door leading to Mr. Wright’s room. He had grown up with little privacy, but he’d never been under anyone’s constant supervision the way Caelin seemed to be.

Jack had slept in his clothes, except for the jacket, so it was easy enough to carry his shoes and jacket into the small attached bathroom and get ready for the day. After a few minutes he slipped out the door to explore the ship. He hadn’t received much of a tour the chaotic day before. He remembered where his nephews and niece were, but decided to check on his sister first. Which way to the med wing...

After ten minutes of wandering around, accompanied by several instances of ducking behind things to avoid meeting people, Jack found himself in med bay. Katy was sleeping peacefully. Jack quietly crossed the small room, sat at the edge of her bed and just watched her for some time. Picking up one wrinkled hand, he took note of her pale skin, the translucence showing blue blood vessels near to the surface. Keeping hold of her hand, Jack lifted his gaze to her face, searching for his little sister in the lines of the aged woman in front of him. There was something recognizable in the cheekbones... in the shape of her eyes... it was easier to look at her now, he decided, when her eyes were closed. He had noticed that they had become pale, watered down, making her look like someone else. With her eyes closed, however, it was easier, just slightly easier, to see his little sister again.

Jack heard soft footsteps and glanced up to see Dr. Seka approaching, a gentle smile on her face.

“Good morning,” she said. “You’re up early.”

“Good morning. Yeah, I just woke up. How- how’s she doing?”

Dr. Seka lightly touched his shoulder in an encouraging manner, then turned her attention to the older woman. “She’s doing well. Slightly malnourished due to her limited diet. She’s weak, but with proper care she should recover.”

“Good. Thank you for helping her.”

The two kept a silent vigil for several minutes, then Jack asked, “What about her mind? She seems really confused. Alzheimer’s, maybe?”

Dr. Seka nodded. “We can certainly help with her dementia. Alzheimer’s was cured centuries ago.”

“Really?” Jack asked, feeling a spark of hope.

“Yes...”

Jack sensed her hesitancy and gave her a probing look.

“We can take away her confusion, but we can’t take away her memories,” the doctor explained.

“Why would that be an issue? I mean, memories?”

“What she did on the ship... she would remember everything.” Dr. Seka waited until she saw realization hit Jack.

“Oh, what she did to the other colonists. Ahh, well, I mean, doesn’t she remember that now?”

“I think she does, but she’s emotionally detached from it.”

Hope fading, Jack held tightly to Katy’s hand. Unable to hide the bleakness in his voice, he roughly said, “So, she’s just going to be like this the rest of her life? In a fog?”

“When we get to Montauk she’ll have a team of doctors who can take a holistic approach, helping her mind and body. No matter what happens, she’ll be taken care of, and she won’t be in pain. I promise you that.”

Jack nodded, swallowing hard. “Okay. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome to stay with her, but if you’d like breakfast first, the galley is just down the corridor.”

She started tending to Katy and Jack got the impression she wouldn’t mind if he left for a while. He stubbornly remained by his sister’s side until it became apparent that the doctor intended to bathe her, then he beat a hasty retreat. He wanted to check on his younger relatives anyway, he decided.

The living quarters all seemed to be on the upper level, so Jack retraced his earlier steps again avoiding contact with the ship’s crew. He hesitated outside the door to his nephews and niece’s room, wondering if it was locked, only to have the door open automatically for him. The children were all still asleep, and the sight of them made him smile. Had Tom realized what a gift he was leaving for his younger brother in the lives of these three children? Stephanie too, he thought with a moment of discomfort, but even that was tempered by the knowledge that he had family, more than he ever had before. One by one he checked on the children, leaving as quietly as he had entered as they still slept.

 

**..»º*º«..**

“Haggis? Is he up yet?” Renny’s young voice radiated impatience. He was in the galley beginning breakfast preparations for the crew, a task usually undertaken by whichever apprentice wasn’t busy with other duties.

“Is who up yet?” Haggis replied in measured tones.

“Jack, of course. I can’t wait to talk to him!”

“He is awake and exploring the ship.” The ship’s computer had been tracking the colonist ever since he woke up, of course.

“Really? Where is he?”

“Where’s who?” Tyler asked, entering the galley.

“Jack, of course!”

Tyler rolled his eyes. It had been ‘Jack this’ and ‘Jack that’ since Renny first learned of the young colonist’s existence. “He’s not going to be like those stupid books you read.”

“No, of course not,” Renny protested, though privately he thought Jack _would_ be like the characters in his novels. With a sudden grin he added, “His name is Jack even!”

“So what?”

It was Renny’s turn to roll his eyes. “All the action heroes from Earth are named Jack! There’s Jack Ryan and Jack Bauer and Jack Mason, accountant extraordinaire!”

“You and your dumb novels.”

Renny frowned. “I don’t know why the captain had to take them away. I bet Haggis has the whole Jack Mason series, but I’m not even allowed to access them.”

Tyler shrugged. “Maybe he’ll let you have them back sometime.”

“Maybe.”

Caelin was the next to show up in the galley. Unlike the actual apprentices this wasn’t one of his duties, but he tried to do whatever they did. “Good morning,” he yawned.

“Good morning,” the other boys echoed.

“You’re so lucky, you get to room with him!” Renny enthused.

“What? Jack? Yeah, he needed somewhere to stay.”

“He could have stayed with me.”

“Yeah, but I offered.” Caelin grinned, exchanging amused glances with Tyler.

Fendi blew into the room, eyes darting about as he checked on the boys’ progress. “Good, good,” he said distractedly. “Use the good silver,” he directed Caelin, who had taken the everyday silver out to set the table.

Caelin opened his mouth to ask ‘really?’ but quickly changed his reply to, “Okay.”

Fendi occupied a unique place in the crew. He was just a few years older than the apprentices, yet he was a member of the captain’s cadre. Not a full member, Caelin thought privately to himself. He knew enough of the cadre’s history to know that Fendi had come along late, remained at Lachappelle after the older boys joined the Space Guard, and wasn’t mindlinked. Still, he was a member of the cadre and the older members of that group were for some reason fiercely protective of him. They didn’t need to be, at least not on _The Defiant_. Fendi was good-natured and dove into whatever job was required of him. He was fair to the younger crew and obedient to the older ones. Caelin and the apprentices alternated between calling him ‘sir’ or ‘Fendi’ while offering their respect at all times.

Caelin returned the everyday silver to the drawer and took out the more ornate silver. It was polished, of course, one of the hundreds of projects that kept the boys busy during the slow times, and one of the ways Castor kept his ship in readiness.

“The ship arrives today,” Fendi offered, answering the unasked question on the faces of all the younger boys. They all new _The Triumph_ was due to rendezvous, but they nodded. It explained Fendi’s busyness.

“We can finish here, if you have other things to do,” Tyler suggested.

Fendi gave him a wry grin. ‘Other things to do’ was a gross understatement. “Thanks, guys.”

There was a moment of quiet in Fendi’s wake as he left, then Renny continued his speculation as to whether Jack knew anything about accounting, like his favorite hero.

“Accounting?” Jack asked, having found the galley and poking his head in the door.

“Oh! Yes, I have some books about a character from Old Earth. His name is Jack Mason, and he’s an accountant. He solves mysteries and crimes using his accountancy skills. That must have been so exciting back then on Earth! Do you know anything about accounting?”

Jack met this enthusiasm with slight disbelief. “Accounting?” he asked again. “No, I don’t know anything about accounting.” He shuddered at the thought of willingly subjecting himself to such a dry subject.

Renny’s face fell, but he quickly rallied. “But still, I bet you had a calculator, right?” To the other boys he explained, “They were like comms but could only add or subtract numbers. Can you imagine that? A whole device for just one thing!”

“They could do more than that. They could multiply and divide and do lots of other things.”

Renny’s eyes shone, learning first-hand knowledge like this. “Like what?”

“Oh, figure out square roots and stuff.” Jack shrugged. He was much more interested in the food being prepared. When Renny waited expectantly for more details, Jack sighed. “There were all sorts of calculators. Scientific ones and ones that were basically just adding machines. Ten-keys, they were called. They had little rolls of paper that kept track of the numbers.”

“Did you have one?” Caelin asked, looking mildly embarrassed when all eyes turned to him at his polite interest.

“No, I didn’t. They were mostly before my time.”

“Oh, too bad,” Renny said. “But, I bet-”

“Is breakfast ready?” came a voice from the communal dining area just outside the galley.

All thoughts of calculators and action heroes named Jack fleeing from their minds, the boys scrambled to finish up, Jack even pitching in to help carry a basket of muffins to the table.  

**..»º*º«..**

It was a strange day, by all accounts. Castor and Concannon slept the morning away while the rest of the crew was busy with preparations for the arrival of _The Triumph_. Demetri enlisted Tyler’s help in finishing a space for the seed bank in the cargo hold; Kyle, Marcus, and Kara remained in the bridge monitoring activity on _New Horizon_ and communications to and from the colony ship as well as _The Triumph_.

Dr. Seka cared for Katy and ran tests on Jack and the three children. Jack was in the best shape, having been fit when he went into cryogenic sleep all those years before. Unlike his relatives he didn’t suffer from malnutrition. Still, he seemed to have a persistent chill that the doctor couldn’t account for.

Renny spent the day consigned to the galley and running errands in between meals. He was jealous when Caelin was directed to occupy Jack and the children, at least until he remembered that he would have plenty of days ahead in which to gather more information about Old Earth.

Caelin enjoyed his role. He liked the younger colonists who were now on his ship, and didn’t mind giving them tours and explaining how everything worked. Plus, there was the added benefit that as long as he was on _The Defiant_ and not getting underfoot of the older crew members, Mr. Wright let him be. While everyone around him was kept busy, he was relatively at his ease that day. As the day went on, however, a growing unhappiness crept over him. He didn’t identify it at first, not until later in the day when he was showing his charges the game cabinet.

“Is this all you got?” Austin asked, disappointment in the board games evident.

“Hey,” Jack started, embarrassed at his nephew’s rudeness.

“Where’s the virtual reality room?”

“The what?” Caelin asked, amused at the pint sized ball of disdain at his side.

“I think he means like on _Star Trek_ ,” Jack explained. At his host’s blank expression, he went on. “You know, like a big room where you’re surrounded by computer generated worlds.”

“Oh, right. There’s an immersive room on _The Triumph_. _The Defiant_ is too small and space is too valuable.” It could have been installed in the storage bays, but Caelin knew the captain had nixed that idea, saying it was too much of a time-waster and temptation for his young crew.

All three children brightened at the news. “And we get to go to _The Triumph_ tonight?” Trey asked.

“Maybe, I doubt it,” Caelin hedged. He had no idea what the plan for their passengers was. He only hoped Jack wasn’t going to leave so soon.

All grumbling ended as the children started pawing through the games in the cabinet. They were all intended for an older audience than themselves, but they quickly found one that looked fun. The novelty of new toys went a long way with them. Caelin and Jack sat down to play the game with the children, both of them feeling like there should be something more important they could be doing. Caelin had played that particular game with his siblings many times, and as he explained one of the rules to Kelly, the quiet unhappiness set in. Watching Jack with the children, the young surety found himself beset with the homesickness that he usually quashed whenever it appeared. What he wouldn’t give to be home again, a surety no longer, innocently playing with his younger siblings.

“Do you all want a snack?” he asked as the game drew to a close, and when the children all replied affirmatively he smiled and said, “I’ll get something. You can start again or find another game and I’ll be right back.”

Snacks were in the galley and free for the taking by anyone at any time. The larder was stocked before setting out on a mission and was replenished if any member of the crew felt like baking or cooking. Caelin set out for the galley but detoured to his quarters first. Mr. Wright was over on _New Horizon_ , so he didn’t have to worry about being interrupted. Closing the door behind him he tentatively said, “Haggis, patch me through to home.”

“You don’t have permission to contact Toren,” came the immediate reply.

“Override C28VG4.” Caelin held his breath as he waited to see if the ship’s computer would accept the override. He had heard Marcus use it once and had quickly scribbled the code on his arm, washing it off later after memorizing it.

A few seconds later he heard the familiar tones of his home caller sounding, and breathed a sigh of relief. His youngest sister answered a moment later, her face widening into a huge grin as she saw him. “Caelin!” she squealed. “Caelin! I can’t believe it! Where are you?”

“I’m on a ship, but I can’t say where,” he said, his own face nearly split by his wide smile. “Hi, Annie, you doing all right?”

“I’m fine. Are you coming home?”

Grin faltering, Caelin said, “Not yet. Someday. We have to be strong, remember?”

“Yeah,” she pouted.

“Maybe someday I can. Anyway, is Mother home? Robby? Anyone else?”

“Robby’s home, but he’s outside. Want me to get him?”

“No, just say hi to him for me, alright? Tell him I love him. I love you too, Annie.”

Face dimpling, she said, “I love you too, Caelin. Are you having fun on the ship?”

Caelin laughed. “Yeah, enough fun. Listen, I have to go. I don’t know when I can call again.”

“Okayyyy.”

“Love you, ladybug.”

The familiar nickname made her laugh. “Bye!”

The minute of conversation with his youngest sister, the first time he’d talked to a member of his family since leaving, boosted Caelin’s spirits tremendously. That is, until he opened the hatch revealing a furious Kyle Tabor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that seems like a good spot to end the chapter! I doubt anyone will guess what happens next! :)
> 
> Thanks for reading :)


	19. Torens Stick Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyle confronts Caelin, and the crew has last minute preparations.

_The minute of conversation with his youngest sister, the first time he’d talked to a member of his family since leaving, boosted Caelin’s spirits tremendously. That is, until he opened the hatch revealing a furious Kyle Tabor._  

“What have you done?” Kyle spat out.

Caelin stepped back from his rage into the safety of his room, heart pounding with sudden fright. “M-Mr. Tabor,” he stammered, the blood draining from his face.

Kyle advanced upon him, causing the teen to back up nearly to the bunkbed. “What did you do?”

Caelin knew better than to lie, even to get out of trouble. As his back hit the upper bunk, he found himself hoping that a whipping for his actions would be all that would happen to him. This was exactly the sort of thing Mr. Wright was always watching out for, the sort of thing that could get him killed. Had his innocent call home just signed his death warrant? As much as he dreaded punishment from his bodyguard, he would have welcomed the man’s appearance right about now. Mr. Wright didn’t interfere on the few occasions when the boy received reprimands from the crew, but Caelin thought in this situation the man would surely come to his aid. Maybe. Surely Kyle would be satisfied if Mr. Wright hauled him away with threats of dire punishment.

Taking a deep breath to steady his panicked nerves, he explained, “I just called home, just for a minute, Mr. Tabor.”

“Who did you talk to?”

“Just my sister, sir.”

“Which one?”

The question confused Caelin. What difference did that make? “My younger one, Annie.”

“How old is she?”

“Eight.”

Kyle fell silent, and while his glare didn’t lessen, his dominant stance gradually eased. Caelin watched breathlessly, hope building. Maybe he wouldn’t be executed after all. Maybe he could get by with just a thrashing. His thoughts drifted to who would be the one to punish him. Would Kyle? He never had before, since he wasn’t his guardian and didn’t speak for him. Caelin was still under his authority, of course, being the surety and a junior quasi-member of the crew. He certainly wasn’t going to protest if the ship’s pilot took him to task for his actions. Not if it meant escaping something worse.

After an uncomfortable silence that seemed to last forever, Kyle took a step back, the tension visibly rolling off his shoulders. He gave a sudden wry grin. “No harm done, I’m sure.”

“No, sir,” Caelin cautiously agreed.

“I won’t tell the captain. No reason to stir up trouble, eh?”

“No, sir. Thank you, sir.” The teenager sagged onto the lower bunk in relief. Protocol should have kept him standing in the older man’s presence, but his legs weren’t capable of supporting him any longer.

Kyle smiled enigmatically, crossing his arms and leaning against the bulkhead. “We Torens have to stick together.”

“Yes, sir,” Caelin replied, hiding his confusion. He knew the pilot was originally from Toren, but had grown up on Montauk. Kyle served in Montauk’s Space Guard... did he still consider himself to be a Toren? Some days Caelin didn’t know if _he_ still considered himself a Toren. Since he was consigned to spend the rest of his life on Montauk, he was doing his best to fit in.

Kyle reached out and gently squeezed the teen’s shoulder. In understanding tones he said, “I know it’s been difficult for you, Caelin, leaving home... serving at the whim of the captain... never knowing what might land you in hot water, not to mention violating the terms of your parole.” He sadly shook his head. “I can’t imagine the stress.”

Feeling worse with each statement, Caelin once again struggled to breathe. Were the recyclers off? Why was the air in his quarters so stale? “Yes, sir,” he finally managed to squeak.

Straightening from his slouched position, Kyle said, “Well, like I said, we need to stick together. While forbidden, I can certainly understand your desire to talk to your family.” His eyes narrowed, his tone again stern. “The override was clever, but it belongs to Marcus. Imagine my surprise when I noticed an outgoing communication to Toren using Marcus’s override, with Marcus sitting right beside me.”

“Oh,” Caelin replied faintly, still trying to gauge how much trouble he was in.

The pilot contemplated Caelin for a moment, then gave a brusque nod. “If you promise never to contact anyone but your family, I can set you up so you can call home regularly.”

Hope bubbling inside him, Caelin sat up. “Really? But won’t the captain mind? It’s not allowed.”

“Leave the captain to me,” Kyle said, chuckling. “He and I got up to our share of trouble when we were your age, much more trouble than you.” He shrugged. “Calling your family is nothing.”

“Wow, thank you, Mr. Tabor!”

Kyle made to leave, but lifted a cautionary finger first. “Don’t tell anyone. This is our secret.”

“Yes, sir,” the boy replied uncertainly. Once alone in his room again he shook out his arms as if to cast off his nervousness. He had gone from certain death to not only no punishment, but the promise of being able to call home any time he liked! He hated keeping it a secret from the captain, but trusted that the first mate and pilot would clear it for him.

..»º*º«..

Where was Caelin? Jack tried not to let his irritation show in front of the children as he looked down the corridor where the slightly younger boy had disappeared some time ago. There were important things going on, both on _New Horizon_ as his fellow colonists got ready to head to that other planet, Toren, and also on _The Defiant_. He wasn’t entirely sure what was going on, just that everyone that passed through the common room seemed to be in a hurry as they went about their Very Important Business. Meanwhile, he and his nephews and niece sat there playing board games. Board games. He hadn’t really played board games on Earth, and now had a hard time sitting still to play.

“I want to explore some more,” Kelly whined.

“I’m sure we’ll get to,” Jack said. “Just not right now. They’re too busy to show us around.”

“Who needs them?” Austin asked with a mischievous look in his eyes.

Jack rolled the dice. “Careful, Austin. All of you.” All of _us_. He moved his game piece. “I don’t know how Tom and- how your _parents_ were, but I get the feeling the crew here won’t hesitate to whack you if you misbehave.”

“We already got whacked,” Trey commented, scowling in remembrance.

“Yeah,” Austin agreed.

Their uncle snorted. “I think it can get a lot worse than that.”

“Then why are we here?” Trey asked indignantly. “Why aren’t we with everyone else?”

Jack knew he meant the other colonists, not the scurrying-around crew of _The Defiant_. “We can’t be with them. They... don’t like Katy.”

“Why not?” Kelly asked.

Jack looked to Trey, the oldest of the three. He didn’t see anything in the boy’s countenance cautioning him not to talk about what Katy had done to the crew of _New Horizon_ , so he figured Austin and Kelly already knew. “Because of what she did, cutting off the electricity to the cryogenic chambers. She killed a lot of people.”

“She wanted to be sure there was enough for your chamber,” Trey affirmed.

Jack winced at the reminder and shook his head. “They shouldn’t have been sacrificed for me. I’m like, nobody.”

Kelly’s eyes flashed. “You’re our uncle!”

The young uncle smiled at her vehement support. “True, but as far as the colonists go, I’m nobody. We’re fortunate our ship was found, because a lot of people with all the skills and know-how to settle a new planet died.”

“You would have figured it out,” Trey said, unconcerned.

“Maybe.” Jack didn’t want to get into a deeper discussion of ethics with the children right now, but he was bothered by their seeming unconcern for the dozens who had died because of Katy. “Anyway, just be careful, alright?” Lowering his voice slightly he added, “I think we’re at their mercy. You get in trouble and I don’t think I can help much. Kelly, your turn.”

Caelin appeared. He smiled wanly, but it was obvious to Jack at least that something had shaken him up.

“Everything alright?” Jack asked, thinking about all the things that could possibly go wrong, from the galley was out of snacks to the colonists had all met an untimely death in an airlock.

“Yes, everything’s fine. Sorry to be gone so long.” Caelin brushed his hair to the side with a shaky hand and regained his seat at the table.

“Where are the snacks?” Kelly asked, noticing the lack of them.

“Oh, sorry, I got waylaid.”

“I’m tired of games!” Austin declared. “Can we look around some more?”

The young host glanced around, wondering where he could take the kids so they would remain out of the way. A timely growl from Trey’s stomach elicited a grin from Caelin. “Have you been to the galley yet?”

..»º*º«..

Late afternoon arrived and with it _The Triumph_. The large spaceship, a small city unto itself, dwarfed the scout ship as well as the colony ship. Castor and his entire crew had returned to _The Defiant_ to await Egan and his entourage, who were coming over by shuttle. Shuttle, Castor thought with a smirk. Egan’s shuttle was no ordinary shuttle. It was a fortified, opulent craft, fitted out with every possible convenience, capable of sustaining the captain and a small crew for months while they traveled as far as home if necessary. _The Defiant_ was faster, but otherwise it had nothing on the shuttle.

Castor conducted an inspection of his crew and his guests before his brother’s arrival. Kate was still in med bay, of course, but everyone else lined up in the common room according to rank. Everyone dressed in black, with cravats tinted according to rank. Castor’s in gold, the other members of his cadre in silver, and the apprentices in white. Kara’s uniform was similar to the men’s, but more form-fitting and flattering to her figure. Mr. Concannon and Mr. Wright both sported black cravats. Jack and the children wore white ruffles and cravats, the same as Caelin’s. Caelin had found it necessary to call for reinforcements, i.e. Mr. Wright, to get Trey and Austin into the outfits. The boys didn’t mind the black trousers and short jackets, but baulked at the ‘stupid, frilly shirts’. Kelly wore a knee-length black velvet jumper dress over a ruffled white blouse. She had accepted the garment in slight wonder, it was so different than anything she had worn before on the aging, decrepit colony ship.

“Where did that come from?” Jack had asked in disbelief. Why would a scout ship happen to have a dress on board that would fit a 9 year-old?

Caelin had cocked his head, not knowing what the fascination was. “Fabricated. Haggis measured her.”

Jack puzzled that one out, then decided the ship’s AI must have scanned her for her size. He didn’t know if he liked that. Was the ship spying on him too? There was probably already a huge file on each of them.

“I love this,” Kelly had intoned, holding it up to herself to admire her reflection in the mirror.

“It’s beautiful,” Jack agreed. “Um, why don’t you change in the bathroom?” He steered the little girl towards the more private bathroom. He figured she was accustomed to changing in front of her brothers since they’d grown up in close quarters, but he didn’t like the thought of her doing so in front of Caelin and Mr. Wright, who were wrestling clothes onto Austin at the moment. As the door closed his brow furrowed. “That’s not for every day, is it?”

Caelin grinned, understanding the issue what with having a similarly aged sister. “No, just for dinner and other official occasions. She can wear play clothes most of the time. So can the boys.”

Jack wanted to ask if he had to wear the somewhat stiff uniform all the time himself. So far he hadn’t been offered anything else and he hadn’t seen Caelin or Renny or Tyler in more casual attire either. He refused to ask if he could have ‘play clothes’, however.

Now, standing between Caelin and Trey towards one end of the line, being inspected by Captain Castor Lycan, Jack resisted the urge to pull at his collar. Uncomfortable, fussy clothes! Well, he conceded, the material was soft and comfortable, just the cravat was awful. He still didn’t know how to tie it properly despite being shown several times. He watched as the young captain walked slowly down the line, inspecting each and every one of them. How ridiculous was this? Still, he found himself sucking in his gut and standing taller when he found himself under Castor’s gaze.

Breaking his silence, the captain softly said, “Well done,” to the three children. They had stood practically at attention, and now broke into wide smiles at his praise. Now Jack resisted the urge to roll his eyes, knowing what it had taken to get them into their fine clothes and to behave. Castor’s eyes softened as he smiled at the kids. Then, turning, he made his way back to the middle of the group, signaling something with his hand that caused the others to break rank and gather around in a circle. Jack followed along, his hands lightly resting on Kelly’s shoulders as she stood before him.

“My brother’s shuttle will be here in about 10 minutes. We all know this mission hasn’t gone according to plan, but it hasn’t been a total disaster.”

Castor’s eyes flickered to Jack’s. The teen couldn’t tell if he was part of the disaster or the non-disaster part. He swallowed.

Castor continued, “I want everyone at his or her station. Renny, Tyler, make yourselves useful as needed. Caelin, Mr. Wright, look after our guests, if you would. Children-”

Now why did the captain have to again look at Jack when he obviously wasn’t one of the three children on board? _At their mercy, at their mercy,_ Jack chanted to himself.

“Children, be seen and not heard. Speak only if spoken to, and then be polite in your replies. Understood?” Castor waited until the three kids nodded. Jack refused to respond, not willing to be lumped in with the children. Honestly, those instructions belonged to the dark ages. The captain’s gaze fell on him again, and if eyes could smirk... well, that’s what Castor’s were doing.

“Alright, places everyone!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, it's so short! Sorry for that. I'm heading on vacation for a week and didn't want to leave this hanging any longer :)
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	20. The Star Deck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Egan and Castor are reunited while Caelin, Jack and the younger kids check out a new place on The Defiant.

_**Last time...** _

Castor continued, “I want everyone at his or her station. Renny, Tyler, make yourselves useful as needed. Caelin, Mr. Wright, look after our guests, if you would. Children-”

Now why did the captain have to again look at Jack when he obviously wasn’t one of the three children on board? _At their mercy, at their mercy,_ Jack chanted to himself.

“Children, be seen and not heard. Speak only if spoken to, and then be polite in your replies. Understood?” Castor waited until the three kids nodded. Jack refused to respond, not willing to be lumped in with the children. Honestly, those instructions belonged to the dark ages. The captain’s gaze fell on him again, and if eyes could smirk... well, that’s what Castor’s were doing.

“Alright, places everyone!”

 

_**And now...** _

With that, everyone scattered, leaving Caelin, Jack, and the children in their wake.

“To your quarters,” Mr. Wright briskly ordered, ignoring the five crestfallen faces in front of him. “Quick, now.”

“I don’t want to,” Austin bravely said, stepping closer to Jack for protection at the narrowed eyes his objection drew.

“Me neither,” Jack muttered. Sent to their rooms like children? Well, that was fine for the actual children, he supposed, but not for him!

“I want to see what’s going on, back at our ship,” Trey declared, planting small fists on his hips.

“Now is not the time,” Mr. Wright said. “To your quarters.”

Caelin easily recognized that this wasn’t the time to question a direct order from Mr. Wright, and started ushering the others back towards their quarters. No time was a good time to question an order from his guardian he wryly reflected. Still, he was as disappointed as the others. More so. The ship’s apprentices got to make themselves useful and be part of the action while he was destined to remain behind closed doors.

“Why did we have to dress up if we’re just going back to our rooms?” Kelly questioned, fondly smoothing her hand over the velvet on her dress.

“Just in case,” Caelin hedged, eyeing his guardian. “We should all stick together, right, Mr. Wright?”

“Yes, everyone to the children’s quarters.”

Jack was slightly mollified by that since it was obvious the man meant the room given to Trey, Austin, and Kelly. The kids promptly sat on the floor to dig through their belongings which had been haphazardly retrieved from _New Horizon_ when the family made their hasty move to _The Defiant_.

“Don’t wrinkle your clothes,” Mr. Wright ordered, before sighing and going to sit at the desk. Babysitting duty. Maybe it was time to re-examine his career.

Jack and Caelin awkwardly stood around trying to decide what to do. The room was rather cramped with six people. Jack finally perched on the edge of the bed, close enough to interact with the kids, and was soon being shown various treasures.

Caelin walked over to his guardian. The time was going to drag if they remained stuck in this little room! In a low voice that wouldn’t be overheard, for he knew better than to undermine his guardian, Caelin suggested, “Mr. Wright? How about the Star Deck?”

The bodyguard considered for a moment, then nodded. He stood, the motion drawing the attention of the children on the floor. “We’re moving up to the Star Deck. Let’s go.”

The children scrambled to their feet, grabbing their belongings to take with them. Mr. Wright took note of the tattered, makeshift toys, imagining them multiplying and spread all over the ship. Not hiding the look of distaste on his face, he added, “You may each take _one_ thing with you.”

Five minutes later the small group entered the darkened Star Deck, so named because it was located at the very top of _The Defiant_. The room was a dome, with much of the ceiling comprised of viewports. Upon entering, Mr. Wright flicked a switch causing the shields covering the viewports to roll back, and the assembled teens and children fell silent at the sight of the black reaches of space illuminated by distant stars. They walked around in awe before seeing the colony ship at the bottom edge of one viewport. The much larger Space Guard ship _The Triumph_ was further away.

“This is fantastic,” Jack said, craning his neck to look out. “Why haven’t we been up here before?”

“It’s not a practical room,” Caelin said, motioning to Mr. Wright. The taller man could only stand upright in the center of the room, as the walls all sloped downwards. The teen grinned suddenly when his bodyguard humphed at being an object lesson. “Sometimes the younger crew members come up here, but it’s not good for much of anything.”

Jack walked around, glad that he wasn’t as tall as Mr. Wright. “I could live up here.”

..»º*º«..

Castor Lycan met his brother Egan at the airlock. It was against protocol. Under normal circumstances the commander of a ship the size of _The Triumph_ wouldn’t deign to go on an away mission like this. A subordinate officer would have been sent while the commander remained on his own ship. In this case, given the importance of the seed bank on the colony ship and the fact that his younger brother commanded the scout ship, Egan disregarded protocol and went himself.

Castor, flanked by Concannon and Fendi, formally greeted his brother, who was accompanied by several of his own crew. The younger brother was rather relieved not to see Commander Robert Meyers there; he hadn’t expected him, of course, since someone had to stay on _The Triumph_ , but he was relieved nonetheless. The last thing he needed was his biggest critic arriving and second-guessing his every move.

“Conference room,” Egan crisply said once greetings were taken care of, already moving to the small room just off the bridge. His entourage followed, trailed by Castor and his crew. Once they were all seated, he asked, “What’s the status on the colonists?”

“Unchanged, sir,” Castor replied. “They’re still planning to proceed to Toren.”

Egan and his crew shook their heads at this folly. “I’ll head over soon, try to change their minds. What about the ship?”

“Poxed,” Castor abruptly said.

His brother raised an eyebrow at this terse reply, but Concannon supported this judgment with a nod reflecting his professional opinion as Master Engineer. “It’s fortunate the boy set off the distress signal when he did. I doubt the ship will last more than a few more weeks.”

Egan accepted this pronouncement from his old friend, Cy Concannon. Castor carefully masked his annoyance that his brother would so readily accept Concannon’s word over his own, choosing instead to be grateful that his bodyguard was held in such high esteem.

“What about the seed bank?” was Egan’s next question. “What arrangements have been made for its safe transport?”

“Our storage bay is ready, it’s just... unwieldy, the logistics of moving it.”

Egan noticed his youngest brother’s discomfort, and wondered what troublesome efforts had been made already. “It won’t fit through the door?” he enquired, a sardonic tone to his voice.

“No, sir. Too big,” Castor agreed.

Looking at one of the square-jawed men at his side, Egan ordered, “Adams, find a way to get it off the ship. Cut into the hull if necessary.”

One by one Egan sent the assembled crew members off on various errands until finally he was alone with his brother. He leaned back in his chair, lazily crossed one leg over the other, clasped his hands, and fixed an exasperated smile on his younger brother. Castor tensed, knowing that he was still facing his commanding officer and not his beloved, usually indulgent older brother.

“What happened?”

Even knowing this question was coming, Castor still felt flustered. Before he could formulate a reply, Egan continued, “What where your orders?”

“To seek out the source of the distress signal, sir.”

In a sharper voice, Egan snapped, “What were you _not_ to do?”

“We weren’t supposed to make contact.”

“Funny then, that not only has contact been made, but all of the cryos are now awake and making plans to go to the planet of our enemy. Not only that, but as I understand it, some of the colonists are actually on this ship?”

Castor knew that was a rhetorical question, but he still replied, “Yes, sir. It was a judgment call. _New Horizon_ was in distress, I felt we couldn’t wait to check for survivors.”

“And now look at the mess we’re in.” Egan reamed his brother out for several minutes, interspersing sarcastic commentary with biting questions. He was secretly pleased to see that the younger officer accepted blame for his actions, not deflecting responsibility or denying his decisions.

For his part, Castor was glad to be of age. If he had been any younger he had a feeling he would have been sent off for a thrashing. Eventually Egan steered the conversation into a series of alternative courses of action that might have been taken, along with their possible outcomes, turning this mess into a learning experience. Knowing his brother’s style, Egan probably would have done the same for any young officer under his command, though Castor knew he had gotten a more thorough lecture because of his last name. At the end of it Castor felt he’d been through the wringer. He sat on the edge of his seat, hair damp and a fine sheen of perspiration on his skin.

Suddenly Egan’s demeanor changed, signaling that he was back to being Castor’s brother. “How’s your crew?”

“They’ve been great. No problems there.”

“Good. How many of the colonists do you have on board?”

“Five, and they’re all related. A brother and sister from the original crew. Kathryn’s the one I told you about, killed the other cryos. She’s suffering from dementia. Her older brother Jack, he’s still just 18. Then their two nephews and a niece.”

“Plans for them?”

Castor had rather thought Egan would take over any plans for the cryos, and with a touch of surprise, he said, “I thought we’d take them all to Montauk. Katy can get help and the children can form a cadre and be educated. Jack-” he shrugged. “I don’t know what we’ll do with Jack. He’s too old for basic and his training so far isn’t that useful.” Another shrug as if to say he didn’t particularly care what became of Jack.

“We can certainly take the children and Katy on _The Triumph_. Have them ready to transfer over tomorrow.”

“What about Jack?”

Castor recognized his brother’s smile. It was the same one that saddled him with Renny and Caelin. “Oh, I think Jack would do well to stay with you and your crew for the trip back to Montauk.”

“As what?” Castor asked, voice cracking with exasperation. “I’ve already got one supernumerary on board, two if you count Caelin’s guard.”

“And now you have a third,” came the amused reply.

“Yes, sir,” Castor said sullenly. “Do you want to meet them before they transfer? The kids?”

“I imagine all children are alike. I don’t anticipate any trouble.”

Castor thought that a bit naive on his brother’s part.

“I dealt with you and your cadre, after all,” Egan calmly replied.

“And we were the epitome of trouble.” The reply came out more snippy than Castor usually would have dared, but he was annoyed at the thought of keeping Jack on board his little scout ship.

Egan’s kidding manner subsided as he quietly said, “Yes, you were.”

Suddenly abashed at this reminder, Castor expelled a breath and nodded. “Yes, sorry.” Maybe it wouldn’t be all bad having Jack on board, he reflected. After all, he had become rather fond of Renny and Caelin.

Egan stood suddenly. “Get Concannon and let’s go to _New Horizon_.”

..»º*º«..

The novelty of the Star Deck gradually wore off, at least for the three youngest hanging out up there. _New Horizon_ had a viewport, after all, and while it wasn’t nearly as expansive as on the Star Deck, looking out into the reaches of space wasn’t entirely new for the children. They were soon engaged in a rousing game of tag. Mr. Wright looked on, deciding that wrinkled clothes probably weren’t going to matter in the long run, and this was a good way for the youngsters to burn off some energy. Caelin and Jack looked on, both secretly wishing they could join in. If the dour guard hadn’t been present, they likely would have, on the grounds of keeping the kids busy and entertained, of course. After a seemingly endless game, the children wore out and fell to the floor complaining of being tired and hungry.

“It _is_ past dinnertime,” Caelin observed.

“Can we bring food up?” Jack asked, thinking that a solution to them being banished out of sight.

“If everyone behaves...” Mr. Wright began, fixing Trey, Austin, and Kelly with a stern gaze, _“If_ everyone behaves, we can head downstairs for dinner.” Reenergized, the children scrambled to their feet and dashed to the door, abandoning the items they had brought to the Star Deck with them. Mr. Wright sighed. “Get your... toys.”

The group managed to reach the galley without getting underfoot, and found a buffet spread out, ready for anyone who had time to eat. They fixed plates for themselves and sat at the usual dining table in the common room, Mr. Wright deeming it preferable to schlepping everything back up to the Star Deck. A few times people walked past, members of both ships’ crews, and the guard was gratified to see the children behaved themselves. Their table manners weren’t up to standards, but they weren’t completely atrocious, and they remained quiet as they’d been told. Maybe babysitting wasn’t that awful of a duty.

“I have to go to the bathroom,” Kelly suddenly announced.

“Me too.”

“I’ll take them,” Trey volunteered, half-rising from his seat already.

“I don’t need to be taken!” Austin indignantly declared.

“Me neither!”

Eager to diffuse the growing annoyance on his guardian’s face, Caelin jumped in. “I’ll take them all.” That offer got him three glares.

“Finish eating, and we’ll swing by our quarters before returning to the Star Deck,” Mr. Wright proclaimed.

Sensing by the whines from Kelly and Austin that sooner would be better than later, everyone hurriedly finished their meals, returned their dishes to the galley sink, and went to the children’s quarters. Kelly immediately availed herself of the bathroom leaving her older brother to do a little hurry up dance outside the door.

“I’m going to our quarters,” Mr. Wright announced, not wanting to wait in line with the children. “You all remain here.”

“Yes, sir,” Caelin dutifully said, while Jack nodded and the younger boys ignored him.

Austin was the next in, soon followed by Trey. Jack decided he was going to his new quarters too, and left the room.

Mr. Wright, upon emerging from his own bathroom and hearing noises in the adjoining room, wondered which of the older boys had disobeyed him. When Jack emerged from the corner bathroom in his and Caelin’s room, he was surprised to see the man waiting with crossed arms, a doubled belt dangling from one hand.

“I told you to wait.”

“Yeah, but, this was quicker, right?” Jack shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, nervously eyeing the belt.

“The correct response when you are reprimanded is ‘yes, sir’, not backtalk. I told you to wait. The sooner you learn to obey orders, the better. Turn around and bend over.”

Jack’s breath caught in his throat. He felt trapped, much like he had when Tom had announced his intention to punish him several years before on Earth. What would happen if he refused? Nothing good, that was for sure. It wasn’t like he could get away from the man, not for very long anyway. They were on a small spaceship for crying out loud. Even if he managed to escape his current predicament, he’d probably just wind up in the hands of that scary Concannon fellow, and whatever Mr. Wright was going to give him, Concannon would probably give him worse. Or even worse, the captain. The thought of submitting to the young captain crossed his mind, and Jack knew he would rather die than do that.

Face flaming with embarrassment, Jack reluctantly turned and bent over, hands on his knees. He felt a steadying hand on his back, then came a loud crack as the belt met its target. Jack grit his teeth and tightened his grip on his knees, determined not to cry out. The first whack was quickly joined by two more, each one leaving a searing blaze of fire across his behind. The swats were easily harder than Tom’s, and Jack felt it was no wonder that Caelin was so readily obedient to his guardian if it meant avoiding beltings like that.

“That’s all. Up.”

Jack slowly straightened, taking a shaky breath, only to see a hand thrust out in front of him. The last thing he wanted to do was shake the hand of the man who had just whipped him, but he thought refusing might lead to further consequences. He stuck out his own slightly damp hand which was soon engulfed by Mr. Wright’s.

“Right then. Wash your face.”

“Yes, sir,” Jack quietly said, lowering his eyes again. He didn’t think he needed to wash his face, he hadn’t been crying after all, but he welcomed the chance to escape the man’s presence. Escaping to the bathroom once again, he was dismayed to see glassy eyes. He quickly splashed cold water on his face, hoping that would do the trick and he wouldn’t wind up with telltale redness around his eyes.

Mr. Wright was again waiting for him and escorted him back to the other quarters where Austin and Kelly, with renewed energy from dinner, were engaged in jumping back and forth between the beds. Caelin emerged from the small bathroom just then, and the older teens and adult looked around, realizing that one of their number was missing and simultaneously asking, “Where’s Trey?”

Mr. Wright caught Kelly mid-air, easily transferring her to one arm to hold her. “Haggis, where’s Trey?”

The computer’s voice immediately responded. “Trey is in the airlock staging room.”

Austin stopped his jumping, the bed giving residual bounces as he stood atop the mattress. Mr. Wright set the girl on her feet and turned to Caelin. “I’ll get him. You all stay here.” Pointing a finger at Jack, he repeated, “Stay here.”

This time Caelin wasn’t the only one to reply with a firm, “Yes, sir.”

..»º*º«..

The Lycan brothers, accompanied by Concannon, Fendi, and a small entourage of armed guards from _The Triumph_ , approached the small staging room near the tube connecting the two ships’ airlocks. Concannon had insisted they wear thin spacesuits with helmets and air tanks at the ready. Who knew what the cryos were up to? Actually, they had a pretty good idea thanks to Haggis’s sensors, but it never hurt to be prepared for the idiocy of others.

As Concannon turned the corner leading to the small room holding the supply of spacesuits, he came face to face with a pint-sized astronaut in a spacesuit much too large for him. It was difficult to tell who was more surprised, the burly engineer, the boy who only came halfway up his chest, or the gathering entourage behind the engineer.

“And where do you think you’re going?” boomed Concannon.

Perhaps emboldened by the spacesuit he had managed to put on, Trey hotly said, “I’m going to see what’s going on in my ship!”

Amused by the small bundle standing in front of him, Concannon said, “I see. And who gave you permission to do that?”

Mimicking the man in front of him, Trey also crossed his arms. “I don’t need permission to board my own ship!”

“That’s where you’re wrong, young man. Take off this suit and return to your quarters.”

“No!” Trey stamped a foot for emphasis.

Concannon turned the boy with a hand on his shoulder, sending him stumbling back into the staging room with a healthy swat to his behind. “I won’t repeat myself.”

“That’s Trey,” Castor said quietly to Egan. The two were standing at the rear of the group, having been engaged in conversation on the way.

Egan smiled. “No trouble, I’m sure.”

“Oh, so you don’t mind handling this?” Castor waved an arm at the little scene.

“Concannon is doing admirably. I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

“Heh,” Castor replied in amusement.

Trey decided retreat was acceptable, given how thin the material in the spacesuit turned out to be. Besides, there were half a dozen adults between him and the airlock. In a mixture of anger and sadness, he pulled the spacesuit off, wadding it up into a bundle and throwing it in the corner.

“No,” said Concannon, looking meaningfully at the tossed suit.

“You can pick it up yourself.”

“Wow,” Castor muttered under his breath. He never would have dared utter those words to his guardian.

Concannon took a step towards the boy, who shrank back. Propping one foot on the low bench that ran the length of the room, he said, “You have two seconds to hang that up properly before I put you over my leg and spank you.” He slapped his own thigh for emphasis. “One...”

Blinking back sudden tears as his bravery left him, Trey hastily picked up the spacesuit, saying, “I just wanted to see what they’re doing to my ship. They don’t know it like I do.”

Concannon rewarded the boy’s compliance by lowering his leg, indicating that the immediate threat of a spanking was over. “That is likely true, but you can’t just sneak aboard.”

Brushing tears from his cheeks, Trey protested, “I wasn’t sneaking.”

“Sneaking off, more like,” said Mr. Wright, who had just caught up to them. “My apologies, he got away.”

“No trouble at all,” Castor whispered to his brother with a hint of a smirk.

“I’ll take him back, and we will have a discussion about this,” Mr. Wright continued. “Come along, Trey.”

Concannon readily handed the boy over, pushing him through the collection of adults towards his keeper. Trey went, hanging his head in embarrassment and frustration. Mr. Wright hauled him away while the crew members went on into the staging room to get dressed. As he was half-carried back to the living quarter section by a firm hand on his jacket, Trey gave up struggling.

Mr. Wright stopped off in the child’s quarters to verify that the others hadn’t run off, and to let them know that he had retrieved the boy. “Stay here. Trey and I will return shortly.”

Jack had been leaning against the bulkhead, his behind still on fire. Guessing Mr. Wright’s intentions towards his nephew, he started forward before thinking of what he wanted to say. “No!”

The guard paused, one hand still firmly holding Trey’s jacket. “No, what?”

“Don’t whip him.” Jack couldn’t imagine the slight boy being on the receiving end of that belt.

“I’m not going to whip him. I don’t whip children.”

Did that mean Mr. Wright didn’t think of Jack as a child? He’d had no reservations about whipping _him_. Jack shook the thought from his head. “He’s my nephew. If he needs punishing, I should do it.”

The guard relaxed his hold slightly, and with something between compassion and a sneer, he said, “I’m not going to set a _child_ the task of punishing another child.”

Well, there went that hope of not being thought of as a child, Jack ruefully thought.

“I _am_ going to warm his behind.” Mr. Wright wasn’t stupid; he knew Jack’s own rear must still be burning, and the teen had no reason to trust that this stranger wouldn’t do the same to a 12 year-old. “You may accompany us, if you wish.”

Jack followed them to Mr. Wright’s room, crossing his arms in the corner. He was acutely uncomfortable, but he didn’t want to leave his nephew completely at this man’s mercy.

Mr. Wright sat himself on the bed and pulled the still-teary boy between his knees. “Do you know why you’ve earned yourself a spanking?”

Trey nodded, his shoulders hunched and his eyes lowered.

“Have you ever had one before?”

A gentle shake produced a quiet, “Yes.”

“Yes, sir,” the man corrected.

“Yes, sir.”

“Very well. Take your jacket off.” The boy obeyed, doleful eyes turned on his captor. Once his charge was divested of the black dress jacket, Mr. Wright upended Trey over his knee, trapping the boy’s legs.

Jack went on alert at that. Was the spanking going to be so awful that his nephew had to be restrained like that? He stood ready to pounce on the older man if necessary.

Mr. Wright started swatting the small bottom with his hand, even-handed whacks that soon had the boy wriggling, but ones that even Jack recognized weren’t too harsh. It seemed to go on forever, but Jack’s mental count only reached fifteen before the spanking stopped. The boy was stood up between the man’s knees again where he sniffled and brushed his eyes on his sleeve.

“Are you going to behave now, and do as you’re told?”

“Yes, sir,” came the near-whispered reply.

“Good. There’s a right way and a wrong way to go about things. If you want to go back aboard _New Horizon_ , we’ll ask the captain, and if he gives his permission, then you may go. Alright?”

Trey’s eyes lit up at the possibility and he darted a happy, hopeful look at his uncle who was still watching from the corner. “Really?”

“Yes. I’ll ask. No promises, though, Trey. It may not be possible for you to go back, understand?”

“Mhm!” The boy swiftly nodded.

“And we’ll abide with his decision, no matter what it is, right?”

“Yes, sir!”

“Okay, then. Wash your face, then I think it’s bedtime.”

..»º*º«..

Egan Lycan glanced behind him, knowing his crew was ready but seeking visual confirmation. Once assured that all were ready, he patted his firearm in its holster at his side. “Let’s go meet some colonists.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Too bad I can't stay home sick every day - think of all the writing I could accomplish! :)  
> Thanks for reading!


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